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UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    001  014  927 


.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU  OF  SOILS— MILTON  WHITNEY,  Chief. 


IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  IOWA  AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION 

C.  F.  CURTISS,  DIRECTOR;  W.  11.  STEVENSON,  IN  CHARGE  SOIL 

SURVEY;  P.  E.  BROWN,  ASSOCIATE  IN  CHARGE. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA  COUNTY, 

IOWA. 


BY 


L.  VINCENT  DAVIS,  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 

In  Charge,  and  J.  AMBROSE  ELWELL,  of  the 

Iowa  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 


THOMAS  D.  RICE,  Inspector,  Northekn  Division. 


[Advance  Sheets— Field  Operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Soils,  1918.] 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1921. 


BUREAIJ  OF  SOILS. 


Milton  Whitney,  Chief  of  Bureau. 
Albeet  G.  Rice,  Chief  Clerk. 

SOIL  SUR^^Y. 

Curtis  F.  Mabbijt,  In  Charge. 
G.  W.  Baumann,  Executive  Assistant. 

committee  on   the  COREELATION    and   CLASSIFICATION    OF    SOILS. 

CiTETis  F.  Maebut,  Chairman. 
Hugh  H.  Bennett,  Inspector,  Southern  Division. 
W.  Edwaed  Heaen,  Inspector,  Soutliern  Division. 
Thomas  D.  Rice,  Inspector,  Northern  Division, 
W.  E.  McLendon,  Inspector,  Northern  Division. 
Macy  H.  Lapham,  Inspector,  Western  Division. 
M.  W,  Patteeson,  Secretary, 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 

BUREAU  OF  SOILS— MILTON  WHITNEY,  Chief. 

IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  IOWA  AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT  STATION, 

C.  F.  CURTISS,  DIRECTOR;   W.  H.  STEVENSON,  IN  CHARGE  SOIL 

SURVEY;  P.  E.  BROWN,  ASSOCIATE  IN  CHARGE. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA  COUNTY, 

IOWA. 


BY 


L.  VINCENT  DAVIS,  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 

In  Charge,  and  J.  AMBROSE  ELWELL,  of  the 

Iowa  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 


THOMAS  D.  RICE,  Inspector,  Northern  Division. 


[Advance  Sheets — Field  Operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Soils,  1918.] 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1921. 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


U,  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 

Bureau  of  Soils, 
Washington,  D.  C,  June  12,  1920. 
Sir:    In  the  extension  of  the  soil  survey  in  the  State  of  Iowa 
during  the  field  season  of  1918  a  survey  was  undertaken  in  Louisa 
County.     This  work  was  done  in  cooperation  with  the  Iowa  Agri- 
cultural Experiment  Station,  C.  F.  Curtiss,  Director. 

I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  the  manuscript  report  and 
map  covering  this  work  and  to  request  their  publication  as  advance 
sheets  of  Field  Operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Soils  for  1918,  as  author- 
ized by  law. 

Respectfully, 

Milton  Whitney, 

CJiief  of  Bureau. 
Hon.  E.  T.  Meredith, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture. 
2 


^c/^^^0 

URL 


5^^ 


CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Soil  Survey  op  Louisa  County,   Iowa.     By  L.  Vincent  Davis,  of  thk 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  In  Charge,  and  J.  Ambrose  Elwell, 

OP  THE  Iowa  Agricultural  Experiment  St.\tion 5 

Description  of  the  area 5 

Climate 10 

Ai^riculture 11 

Soils 19 

Grundy  silt  loam 23 

Grundy  silty  clay  loam 24 

Muscatine  silt  loam 26 

Muscatine  silty  clay  loam 27 

Clinton  silt  loam 28 

Tama  silt  loam 29 

Knox  fine  sand 30 

Putnam  silt  loam 31 

Lindley  silt  loam 31 

Bremer  silt  loam 32 

Bremer  silty  clay  loam 33 

Bremer  clay 34 

Buckner  sand 35 

Buckner  fine  sand 35 

Buckner  fine  sandy  loam 36 

Buckner  loam 37 

Buckner  silt  loam 37 

Waukesha  silt  loam 38 

Calhoun  silt  loam 39 

Wabash  loam 39 

Wabash  silty  clay  loam 40 

Wabash  clay 41 

Cass  sand 42 

Cass  sandy  loam 43 

Cass  loam 43 

Cass  silty  clay  loam 44 

Muck 45 

Riverwash 45 

Drainage 46 

Summai-y 47 

3 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FIGURE. 

Fig.   1.  Sketch  map  showing  location  of  the  Louisa  County  area,  Iowa. 

MAP. 

Soil  map,  Louisa  County  sheet,  Iowa. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

By  L.  VINCENT  DAVIS,  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  In  Charge,  and 
J.  AMBROSE  ELWELL,  of  the  Iowa  Agricultural  Experiment  Station.— Area 
Inspected  by  THOMAS  D.  RICE. 


Tim  iMTB? 


DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    AREA. 

Louisa  County  lies  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  State  of  Iowa, 
and  is  bordered  on  the  east  by  the  Mississippi  River,  which  separates  it 
from  the  State  of  Illinois.  Its  greatest  dimension  from  east  to  west 
is  28  miles,  and  from  north  to  south  24  miles.  The  area  is  390  square 
miles,  or  253,440  acres. 

In  general,  the  county  consists  of  two  areas  of  upland  drift  plain 
and  two  belts  of  low  bottom  land.  One  of  the  lowland  belts,  the 
Mississippi  bottoms,  occurs  along  the  east- 
ern margin  of  the  count}^;  the  other  trav- 
erses the  county  in  a  northwest-southeast 
direction  along  the  Iowa  River  and  sepa- 
rates the  two  areas  of  upland  plain. 

At  the  northern  boundary  of  the  county 
the  Mississippi  River  bottoms  are  5  miles 
wide,  but  they  gradually  narrow  south- 
ward, and  are  only  1^  miles  wide  on  the 
south  line  of  Township  75.  In  Township 
74  the  width  is  from  I-3-  to  2  miles,  but  to  the  south  the  width 
increases  again  to  about  5  miles  which  is  constantly  niamtained  to  the 
county  boundary.  An  elevation  known  as  Great  Sand  Mound  ex- 
tends into  the  county  in  sec.  4,  T.  75  N.,  R.  2  W.,  from  Muscatine 
County.  It  rises  abruptly  about  30  feet  above  the  surrounding  bot- 
toms. It  is  a  remnant  of  an  old  terrace.  Its  area  in  Louisa  County 
is  approximately  1  square  mile.  With  the  exception  of  this  mound 
and  another,  very  small  and  less  elevated,  in  the  eastern  part  of  sec. 
18,  T.  75  N.,  R.  2  W.,  practically  the  entire  area  of  the  Mississippi 
bottoms  would  be  subject  to  overflow  were  it  not  for  the  levee. 
Numerous  sloughs  occur  tlu-oughout  these  bottoms,  the  largest  of 
which  is  Muscatine  Slough,  which  extends  into  the  county  on  the 
north  near  the  outer  edge  of  the  bottom.  This  slough  finally  empties 
into  the  Iowa  River  2  miles  north  of  Toolosboro.  The  depressed 
areas  known  as  Lake  Klum,  formerly  a  lagoon  connecting  with  Mus- 
catine Slough,  and  Lake  Odessa,  an  enlargement  of  the  same  slough, 
have  been  drained  by   artificial  ditches.     The    topography   of   the 


Fig.  1.— Sketch  map  showing  location 
of  the  Louisa  County  area,  Iowa. 


6  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

Great  Sand  Mound  is  undulating,  while  the  remainder  of  the  first 
bottom,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  area  in  the  vicinity  of  Hope- 
well School,  which  is  undulating,  is  level. 

The  lowlands  along  the  Iowa  River  vary  from  2  to  (>  miles  in  width, 
the  maximum  being  reached  in  T.  76  N.,  R.  5  W.  Another  large 
expansion  occurs  in  the  vicinity  of  Wapello.  These  lowlands  consist 
of  first-bottom  land,  subject  to  overflow,  and  second  bottoms  or 
terraces,  lying  entirely  above  the  highest  floods.  The  first  bottom, 
with  the  exception  of  the  two  lobelike  extensions  in  T.  76  N.,  R.  5  W., 
caused  by  former  meanderings  of  the  river,  occurs  as  a  strip  ranging 
from  three-fourths  mile  to  2  miles  in  width,  intersected  by  many 
sloughs  and  old  ox-bow  lakes.  The  terrace  occurs  in  three  main  areas, 
namely,  west  of  Cedar  River  and  north  of  the  Iowa  River;  northeast 
and  southeast  of  Fredonia;  and  northwest,  west,  south,  and  southeast 
of  Wapello  to  a  point  beyond  Elrick.  The  terraces  are  traversed  in 
places  by  the  valleys  of  streams  issuing  from  the  uplands.  In  the 
extreme  northwestern  part  of  the  county,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Iowa 
River,  both  first  bottom  and  terrace  contain  numerous  knolls  and 
ridges,  and  in  places  the  line  of  separation  as  drawn  between  first 
bottom  and  terrace  is  of  necessity  rather  arbitrary.  In  other  places, 
particularly  east  and  northeast  of  Fredonia  and  south  and  south- 
west of  Wapello,  a  ridge  occurs  near  the  margin  of  the  bluff  and  this 
also  makes  the  boundary  between  terrace  and  upland  somewhat 
indefinite.  Elsewhere,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  slight  ridges  and 
knolls  on  the  terrace,  both  ten-ace  and  first  bottom  are  nearly  level. 
For  the  most  part  the  terrace  rises  abruptly  about  20  feet  from  the 
bottom,  but  the  narrow  strips  of  terrace  occurring  within  the  first 
bottom  are  only  8  to  15  feet  above  the  latter,  and  rise  from  it  in  a 
rather  gentle  slope. 

The  eastern  upland  area  or  drift  plain  is  a  southern  extension  ol 
the  Illinoian  drift  plain  in  Muscatine  County.^  On  the  northern 
county  boundary  it  is  about  9  miles  wide,  but  it  gradually  tapers  to 
a  width  of  about  2  miles  northeast  of  Wapello,  whence  a  tongue 
projects  about  8  miles  farther  southeast.  The  plain  has  an  average 
elevation  of  about  100  feet  above  the  lowlands.  It  is  moderately 
dissected,  the  topography  varying  from  level  to  broken.  Tlie  more 
broken  areas  occur  on  the  steep  slopes  leading  to  the  Iviississippi 
River  bottoms.  In  general  the  topography  is  gently  rolling.  The 
general  slope  is  toward  the  west,  with  the  exception  of  the  north- 
eastern part  of  Grand  view  Township,  which  slopes  toward  the  east. 
The  east  bluff  rises  very  abruptly  to  an  elevation  of  100  to  150  feet 
above  the  lowland  and  is  broken  only  by  two  small  creeks  which 
flow  out  across  the  Mississippi  bottoms,  one  leaving  the  upland  one- 
half  mile  south  of  the  north  county  line  and  the  other  about  6  miles 

I  See  Geology  of  Louisa  County,  by  J.  A.  Udden,  Iowa  Geol.  Survey,  Vol.  XI,  1900,  p.  62. 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   LOUISA   C30UNTY,    IOWA.  7 

farther  south.  On  the  west  side  of  tho  phiin  the  bluffs  are  40  to  90 
feet  in  height  and  the  slopes  are  longer  and  rnore  gentle.  In  sees. 
4,  5,  23,  24,  and  25,  T.  75  N.,  R.  4  W.,  and  in  sees.  9,  10,  and  15, 
T.  74  N.,  R.  3  W.,  the  margin  of  the  upland  is  10  to  30  feet  higher 
than  the  surrounding  upland  and  has  an  uneven  dunelike  appear- 
ance. These  elevations  are  probably  the  result  of  wind  action.  In 
the  northeast  half  of  Grandview  Township  there  are  several  broad, 
swell-like  elevations  lying  about  30  feet  higher  than  the  surrounding 
upland  and  having  a  northwest-southeast  trend,  while  in  Jefferson 
Township  several  wide,  shallow  valleys  with  a  northeast-southwest 
trend  occur. 

The  western  drift  plain  occupies  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
county.  It  is  terminated  on  its  eastern  border  by  a  well-defined 
bluff  extending  along  the  Iowa  River  in  its  entire  southeastward 
course  thi-ough  the  county.  The  elevation  of  the  bluff  above  the 
lowland  varies  from  125  feet  north  of  Columbus  Junction  to  less 
than  75  feet  along  the  west  side  of  the  Wapello  Prairie.  The  bluff 
line  is  broken  by  numerous  streams  leaving  the  upland  and  traversing 
the  bottoms.  This  plain,  like  the  east  plain,  varies  from  level  to 
broken  in  topography,  but  is  predominantly  gently  rolling  to  rolling. 
An  undulating  to  gently  rolling  surface  characterizes  the  more  recently 
dissected  parts  of  the  plain,  while  a  steeply  rolling  to  broken  surface 
is  general  in  the  parts  more  completely  dissected,  as  along  the  lower 
courses  of  the  streams.  In  Marshall  Township  and  to  the  northwest 
the  creek  valleys  are  wider,  and  have  longer  slopes  that  merge  more 
gradually  into  the  upland  plain  than  in  Morning  Sun  Township  and 
southeast,  where  the  valleys  are  narrower  and  V-shaped,  with  steeper 
slopes  that  normally  break  sharply  from  the  upland  plain.  As  is 
almost  always  the  case  in  this  latitude,  where  the  streams  run  east 
and  west,  the  south  slopes  of  the  valleys  are  more  steep  and  blufi'like 
than  the  north  slopes.  A  noticeable  feature  of  the  western  upland 
is  a  depression  resembling  a  shallow  drainage  valley  beginning  at  the 
eastern  border  just  north  of  Columbus  Junction,  extending  southwest 
about  3  miles,  thence  south  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Elm  Grove 
Township  and  thence  south  into  Henry  County.-  This  depression 
has  an  average  width  of  1^  iniles,  and  where  best  defined  its  bottom 
lies  about  40  feet  below  the  surrounding  upland.  Where  it  crosses 
Long  Creek  the  banks  are  very  indistinct.  A  smaller  branch  de- 
pression, about  one-fourth  to  one-half  miU;  in  width,  leaves  the  main 
depression  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Elm  Grove  Township  and  ex- 
tends southw^est  and  out  of  the  county  at  the  southw^est  corner  of 
the  same  township.  These  valleylike  depressions  are  not  drainage 
valleys  at  present,  but  are  crossed  in  places  by  small  streams.     It 

2  See  Geology  of  Louisa  County,  by  J.  A.  Uddeu,  Iowa  Geol.  Survey  Vol.  XI,  19 :!0,  pp.  (53,  04. 


8  FIELD   OPERATION'S   OF   THE  BUEEAU   OF   SOILS,  1918. 

is  supposed  that  these  depressions  are  vestiges  of  the  channel  held 
by  the  Mississippi  River  at  the  time  of  the  Illinoian  glaciation,  when 
the  river  followed  the  western  edge  of  the  ice  sheet.  Another  notice- 
able feature  of  the  western  upland  is  two  more  or  less  pronounced 
swells  lying  east  of  and  roughly  paralleling  the  depression  just  de- 
scribed. These  are  each  about  1  mile  wide.  In  sees.  17,  18,  and  21, 
T.  73  N.,  R.  3  W.,  are  a  few  small  sinkholes,  about  20  feet  deep  and 
5  to  8  rods  wide,  due  to  holes  or  caverns  in  the  underlying  limestone. 

The  highest  point  in  the  county  is  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
Morning  Sun  Township,  where  an  elevation  of  nearly  900  feet  above 
sea  level  is  reached.  The  elevation  at  Port  Louisa,  on  the  Missis- 
sippi River,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  taken  at  mean  low 
water  is  526  feet,  while  across  the  river  at  Keithsburg,  111.,  If  miles 
north  of  the  southern  boundary  of  the  county,  the  elevation  is  523  feet. 

The  eastern  upland,  with  the  exception  of  about  12  square  miles, 
drains  into  the  j  owa  River.  The  divide  between  the  Iowa  and  Mis- 
sissippi Rivers  follows  the  Mississippi  bluffs  in  Jefferson  and  Port 
Louisa  Townships,  north  of  which  it  turns  back  and  runs  about  2 
miles  west  of  the  bluffs.  The  eastern  slope  is  drained  by  short, 
V-shaped  gulches  and  ravines,  often  v/ith  precipitous  slopes.  Only 
two  streams  of  any  length  occur.  These  are  in  (}randview  Town- 
ship, the  northern  one  being  known  as  Whisky  Run.  The  western 
slope  is  drained  by  longer  watercourses,  with  more  rounded  and 
gentler  valley  walls.  The  fall  of  the  highland  from  east  to  west, 
with  the  exception  of  the  northern  part,  where  it  is  less,  is  20  feet 
per  mile.  Several  main  creeks,  the  largest  of  which  is  Indian  Creek, 
have  developed.  This  stream  has  a  bottom  land  one-eighth  to  one- 
fourth  mile  in  width. 

The  drainage  of  the  western  upland,  with  the  exception  of  the 
southwest  half  of  T.  73  N.,  R.-l  W.,  and  the  extreme  southwestern  cor- 
ner of  Elm  Grove  Township,  which  drain  west  and  eventually  into  the 
Skunk  River,  is  tributary  to  the  Iowa  River.  In  the  southern  tier 
of  townships  the  streams  run  in  a  general  northerly  direction,  wliile 
over  the  remainder  of  the  eastern  slope  the  general  direction  is  east. 
Some  of  the  north-flowing  creeks  have  their  beds  partly  in  limestone, 
and  here  their  valleys  become  relatively  narrow. 

In  both  the  eastern  and  western  drift  plains,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  small  level  areas,  ample  surface  drainage  is  afforded  by 
widely  ramifying  branches  and  streamlets.  Even  in  the  level  areas 
there  is  probably  no  farm  without  a  natural  drainage  outlet.  The 
terraces  are  for  the  most  part  sufficiently  tlrained  for  cultivation. 
In  sandy  areas  the  rain  water  readily  soaks  into  the  ground.  Where 
the  soil  is  heavier  and  underlain  by  a  heavy  substratum,  the  run-off 
is  usually  taken  care  of  by  tile  and   ditches  connecting  with  the 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   LOUISA   COUNTY,    IOWA.  9 

streams  crossing  the  terrace  from  the  upland.  Along  the  margin  of 
the  terrace  there  is  in  some  places,  adjoining  the  bottom  or  a  lower 
l3dng  terrace,  an  area  that  is  very  marsh}'^  as  a  result  of  seepage  from 
the  lower  strata  underlying  the  terrace.  These  soepy  areas  generally 
occur  as  narrow  strips  and  are  frequently  mucky. 

Drainage  conditions  in  the  first  bottoms  are  somewhat  varied.  In 
the  small  narrow  stream  l)ottoms  the  land  is  generally  wet  and  used 
for  pasture,  but  along  the  larger  creeks  the  bottoms  are  in  many 
places  sufRciently  well  drained  to  allow  cultivation,  as  overflow 
either  does  not  happen  during  the  crop  season  or  occurs  so  rarely 
that  it  does  not  make  cultivation  unprofitable.  In  the  Iowa  and 
Mississippi  first  bottoms,  though  practically  all  the  land  is  naturally 
subject  to  overflow,  levees  and  ditches  have  made  it  possible  to 
cultivate  the  greater  part. 

The  first  white  settlement  in  this  territory  was  made  in  1834,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Iowa  River.  The  early  settlers  came  from  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Kentucky,  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  York.  Since 
then  the  proportion  of  German  settlers  has  become  large,  and  there 
have  also  been  many  settlers  from  the  Scandinavian  countries. 
Most  of  the  early  settlers  located  on  the  edge  of  the  forest,  where  the 
sod  was  more  easily  broken,  where  fuel  and  building  material  were 
available,  and  where  there  was  j)rotection  from  the  fires  that  swept 
the  prairies.  As  time  passed  settlement  gradually  spread  to  the 
prairies.  Tho  early  settlers  came  mostly  by  boat  on  the  Mississippi 
and  Iowa  rivers.  From  1841  to  1S60  the  Iowa  Iliver  was  navigable 
as  far  as  Iowa  City,  a  distance  of  about  90  miles.  The  population 
of  Louisa  County  in  1850  was  4,939,  and  in  1860,  10,805.  Since  the 
latter  year  tho  increase  has  been  slower,  with  occasional  setbacks. 
The  census  for  1910  gives  the  population  as  12,855,  or  32.5  persons 
per  square  mile.  As  none  of  the  towns  within  the  county  exceed 
2,500,  the  entire  population  is  classed  as  rural.  Outside  the  towns 
the  population  is  well  distributed. 

Wapello,  with  a  population  in  1910  of  1,532,  is  the  largest  town 
and  the  county  seat.  Columbus  Junction  is  the  next  largest  tovm., 
with  a  population  of  1,107.  Morning  Sun,  Letts,  Oakville,  Grand- 
view,  Columbus  City,  and  Fredonia  are  credited  with  populations 
of  904,  456,  416,  375,  390,  and  200,  respectively.  Cotter,  Toolesboro, 
Wyman,  Cairo,  Newport,  Marsh,  and  Elrick  are  smaller  towns. ^ 

Louisa  County  is  well  supplied  with  transportation  facilities,  five 
lines  passing  through  the  county  and  no  farm  lying  more  than  6  miles 
from  a  railroad.     The  wagon  roads  are  generally  in  good  condition. 

'  Since  this  report  was  written  the  preliminary  announcement  of  population  of  Louisa  County,  Iowa, 
and  its  civil  divisions  in  1920  has  been  issued  by  the  Bureau  of  the  Census,  as  follows:  Louisa  County, 
12,179;  rural,  12,179:  Columbus  City,  346;  Columbus  Junction,  988;  Cotter,  100;  Grand  view,  341;  Letts, 
417;  Morning  Sun,  751;  Oakville,  466;  Wapello  City,  1,480. 

186268°— 21 2 


10  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

There  is  only  one  stretch  of  surfaced  road  in  the  county,  but  the 
highways  are  in  general  well  graded  and  frequently  dragged,  and 
kept  in  good  condition.  Several  automobile  routes  pass  through  the 
county. 

Telephone  service  extends  throughout  the  county,  and  practically 
every  farm  has  telephone  connection. 

Educational  facilities  tliroughout  the  county  are  good.  There 
are  at  present  five  consolidated  schools. 

The  principal  markets  and  shipping  points  within  the  county  are 
Wapello,  Columbus  Junction,  Morning  Sun,  Letts,  Oakville,  and 
Grandview.  Each  of  these  towns  has  a  grain  elevator.  Chicago 
and  St.  Louis  are  the  leading  markets  for  grain,  and  Chicago  the 
principal  market  for  hogs  and  cattle. 

CLIMATE. 

The  climate  of  Louisa  County,  while  including  a  considerable 
range  of  temperature,  is  moderate  and  healthful.  The  highest  tem- 
perature recorded  is  106°  F.,  while  the  lowest  is  —  24°  F.  The  mean 
annual  temperature  is  49.8°  F.  Periods  of  extreme  heat  in  sum- 
mer or  cold  in  winter  seldom  last  more  than  two  or  at  the  most  three 
weeks. 

The  average  annual  precipitation  is  34.07  inches.  The  greater 
part  of  this  falls  during  the  growing  season,  and  is  ample  to  supply 
the  needs  of  the  crops  commonly  grown  in  this  latitude.  Occasional 
droughts  occur  which  are  of  great  damage  to  crops  on  porous  soils, 
but  total  crop  failures  are  unknown.  The  average  annual  snowfall 
is  26.8  inches.  Snow  aids  materiall}^  in  preventing  winterkilling  of 
the  fall-sown  small-grain  crops. 

The  normal  growing  season,  or  the  period  from  the  average  date  of 
the  last  killing  frost  in  the  spring,  April  24,  to  that  of  the  first  in  the 
fall,  October  16,  is  175  days.  This  is  ample  for  maturing  all  the  crops 
commonly  grown  in  this  region.  Late-maturing  varieties  of  corn, 
however,  are  occasionally  caught  by  frost.  The  latest  recorded  date 
of  killing  frost  in  the  spring  is  May  23,  and  the  earliest  recorded  date 
in  the  fall,  September  22. 

The  following  table  gives  the  normal  monthly,  seasonal,  and  annual 
temperature  and  precipitation  as  recorded  by  the  Weather  Bureau 
station  at  Columbus  Junction.  The  snowfall  data  are  taken  from 
the  record  of  the  Weather  Bureau  station  at  Washington,  Washing- 
ton County,  and  are  doubtless  representative  of  conditions  in 
Louisa  County. 


SOIL   SURVEY   OF   LOUISA   COUNTY,    IOWA. 


11 


Normal  monthly,  seasonal,  and  annual  temperature  and  precipitation  at  Columbus 

Junction. 

(Elcyation,  595  feet.     Length  of  record,  10  years.) 


Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Month. 

Mean. 

Absolute 
ma.xi- 
mum. 

Absolute 
mini- 
mum. 

Mean. 

Tot.al 
amount 
for  the 
driest 
year. 
(1901). 

Total 
amount 
for  t  he 
wettest 

year. 
(1902). 

Snow, 
average 
depth.i 

December 

27.7 
22.0 
24.8 

°  F. 
58 
66 
64 

"  F. 
-17 
-24 
-18 

Inches. 
1.31 
1.24 
1.59 

Inches. 
1.96 
.92 
1.23 

Inches. 

2.16 

.46 

.92 

Inches. 
6.0 

January  

7  4 

7  8 

Winter 

24.8 

66 

-24 

4.14 

4.11 

3.54 

21  2 

March     

36.4 
50.7 
62.4 

85 
88 
93 

-10 
19 
29 

2.06 
2.94 
4.10 

3.00 
1.69 
1.95 

2.06 
2.32 
4.81 

4  3 

April , . . . 

5 

May 

T 

49.8 

93 

-10 

9.10 

6.64 

9.19 

4  8 

71.0 
75.0 

72.7 

99 
106 

102 

38 
49 
40 

4.16 
3.91 
5.23 

1.05 
1.S2 
1.73 

7.  77 
10.90 
15.47 

0  0 

July 

0  0 

August •. 

0  0 

72.9 

106 

38 

13.30 

4.60 

34.14 

0  0 

65.3 
52.9 
37.5 

100 

87 

78 

30 
19 
2 

3.16 
2.51 

1.86 

2.54 
1.34 
.80 

4.00 

4.77 
3.16 

0.0 

October     

T 

8 

Fall 

51.9 

100 

2 

7.53 

4.68 

11.93 

.8 

49.8 

106 

-24 

34.07 

20. 05 

5S.  80 

26  8 

I  Snowf.iU  record  for  Washington,  Washington  County. 


AGRICULTURE. 

From  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  b}^  white  persons,  agriculture 
has  been  the  sole  industry  of  Louisa  County.  During  the  early 
years  of  settlement  grain  farming  was  followed  almost  exclusively, 
wheat,  corn,  oats,  and  flax  being  grown.  As  the  population  increased 
live-stock  farming  grew  in  importance. 

The  corn  acreage  in  1910  was  slightly  higher  than  in  1880,  that  of 
rye  slightly  less,  and  that  of  wheat  only  two-thirds  as  large,  while 
oats  and  hay  each  more  than  doubled  in  acreage.  The  area  in  barley 
increased  from  less  than  100  acres  to  766  acres.  Practically  no 
change  is  shown  in  the  acreage  devoted  to  Irish  potatoes  and  sweet 
potatoes.  From  1900  to  1910  the  value  of  dairy  products  decreased 
from  $122,105  to  $79,104,  while  that  of  animals  sold  or  slaughtered 


12  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

increased  from  $983,374  to  $2,132,345,  and  that  of  poultry  i)roducts 
from  $68,025  to  $215,262. 

At  the  present  time  the  agriculture  consists  of  live-stock  farming 
supplemented  by  grain  and  truck  farming.  For  the  year  1909  the 
value  of  all  crops  approximately  equaled  that  of  all  live  stock  and 
live-stock  products.  Corn  is  the  principal  crop,  followed  by  oats, 
hay,  winter  wheat,  rye,  white  potatoes,  sweet  potatoes,  sweet  corn, 
and  barley.  Alfalfa  and  spring  wheat  are  grown  to  a  small  extent. 
Potatoes  are  practically  the  only  subsistence  crop,  although  some 
corn  is  ground  locally.  The  money  crops  are  wheat,  part  of  the 
corn  crop,  part  of  the  oat  crop,  and  a  small  part  of  the  hay  crop 
(timothy  and  clover).  All  the  stock  is  shipped  except  for  a  small 
number  of  hogs  and  cattle  butchered  for  home  consumption.  Local 
butchers  get  about  one-half  their  suppl}^  from  the  county. 

Live-stock  farming  is  carried  on  in  practically  all  parts  of  the 
coimty  except  the  more  sandy  areas  of  the  terrace,  the  Mississippi 
bottoms  in  the  vicinity  of  Hopewell  School,  and  the  section  around 
Oakville.  On  the  basis  of  value  of  products  the  cattle  industry  is  the 
most  important,  followed  by  the  raising  of  hogs,  horses,  and  sheep.  The 
census  reports  1,330  calves,  19,111  head  of  other  cattle,  51,268  hogs, 
and  3,086  sheep  sold  or  slaughtered  in  1909,  and  1,297  horses  and 
mules  sold.  The  Iowa  Yearbook  for  1916  reports  27,878  head  of 
cattle,  61,519  hogs,  9,978  horses,  and  1,510  sheep  on  farms. 

About  85  per  cent  of  the  farmers  raise  cattle,  but  not  over  20  per 
cent  of  them  finish  the  stock  for  market.  Cattle  are  generally  sold 
in  the  fall  as  feeders.  About  half  the  animals  that  are  fed  are  pur- 
chased from  the  markets  of  Kansas  City,  Omaha,  St.  Paul,  and 
Chicago.  The  feeding  period  ranges  from  60  to  120  days.  The 
usual  feed  is  corn  and  ensilage  with  the  addition  of  a  concentrate 
which  is  generally  cottonseed  meal,  and  less  frequently  molasses 
feed.  The  principal  breeds  of  cattle  raised  are,  in  the  order  of  their 
importance,  Shorthorn,  Aberdeen  Angus,  and  Hereford.  Most  of 
the  cattl'e  are  grades,  but  the  purebred  beef-cattle  industry  is  of 
considerable  importance.  There  are  at  the  present  25  purebred 
Shorthorn  and  Polled  Durham  herds  and  4  each  of  Aberdeen  Angus 
and  Hereford. 

Dairjdng  has  scarcely  been  undertaken  on  a  commercial  scale. 
One  farm,  which  ships  cream,  has  a  herd  of  about  30  cows,  but  on 
most  farms  only  a  small  number  of  cows  are  milked.  These  are 
kept  mainly  to  supply  milk  for  home  use,  the  surplus  being  sold  in 
the  towns  in  the  form  of  milk,  cream,  or  butter.  The  leading  breeds 
of  dairy  cows  are  grade  Shorthorn,  grade  Jersey,  and  grade  Holstein. 
There  are  probably  no  purebred  dairy  cows  in  the  county. 

Hogs  are  raised  on  about  90  per  cent  of  the  farms,  and  about  80 
per  cent  of  the  farmers  who  raise  hogs  fatten  their  own  stock.     Of 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA  COUNTY,   IOWA.  13 

the  hogs  sold  in  the  county  about  90  per  cent  are  home  raised  and 
10  per  cent  are  shipped  in  to  be  fattened.  All  the  farmers  who  feed 
steers  keep  hogs,  to  follow  the  cattle.  The  average  length  of  the 
feeding  period  is  100  days.  Corn  and  tankage  are  the  principal 
feeds.  A  small  percentage  of  the  corn  crop  is  harvested  by  being 
hogged  down,  and  this  practice  will  probably  become  increasingly 
popular  in  the  future.  The  raising  of  purebred  hogs  is  quite  an 
important  industry,  although  it  is  less  developed  than  the  raising  of 
purebred  cattle  and  horses.  There  are  12  breeders  of  purebred  Poland- 
China,  7  of  Duroc-Jersey,  and  3  of  Chester  White  hogs. 

Horse  raising  is  carried  on  as  a  side  line  by  most  farmers,  who 
make  a  practice  of  selling  their  surplus  colts.  The  prmcipal  breeds 
represented  are  Percheron  and  Shire.  The  grade  horses  are  almost 
all  Percherons. 

There  are  three  or  four  flocks  of  grade  Shropshire  sheep  in  this 
county.  The  remainder  are  western  sheep  shipped  in  to  be  fattened. 
Lambs  weighing  about  40  pounds  are  bought  and  turned  in  the  corn 
fields  and  sold  when  they  reach  a  weight  of  60  to  80  pounds.  In 
some  cases  corn  is  fed  during  the  fattening  period. 

Corn,  the  principal  crop,  is  grown  in  all  parts  of  the  county.  Very 
little  is  shipped  out  of  the  county,  however,  except  from  Oakville. 
A  considerable  quantity  changes  hands  from  grower  to  feeder,  and 
the  remainder  is  fed  on  the  farms  where  produced.  In  1916,  out  of 
58,822  acres  in  corn,  according  to  the  Iowa  Yearbook,  about  1,500 
acres  were  cut  for  111  silos.  The  number  of  silos  and  consequently 
the  acreage  cut  for  ensilage  has  doubled  since  then.  About  80  per 
cent  of  the  corn  grown  is  yellow,  the  remamder  bemg  for  the  most 
part  white.  The  length  of  maturing  period  of  the  varieties  grown 
is  100  to  120  days.  The  varieties  of  yellow  corn  most  commonly 
grown  are  Eeids  Yellow  Dent,  Learning,  Golden  Glow,  Goldmine, 
Pride  of  the  North,  and  Mmnesota  No.  13.  The  last  two  are 
especially  early.  The  leading  white  varieties  are  the  Silvermme, 
Silver  King,  and  J.  K,  Brown,  and  the  leadmg  mixed  varieties 
Bloody  Butcher  and  Calico. 

About  two-thirds  of  the  oats  produced  is  shipped  out  of  the  county, 
the  remainder  being  fed  on  the  farms.  Almost  the  entire  quantity 
shipped  from  the  county  is  first  sold  to  local  elevators,  as  producers 
seldom  ship  directly  to  the  grain  centers.  Only  spring  oats  are 
grown.  The  early  varieties  predominate,  smce  with  late  oats  the  hot 
weather  generally  prevents  the  proper  filling  of  the  heads.  The 
principal  early  varieties  are  the  Iowa  103,  Texas  Red,  Kherson, 
and  Iowa  105;  the  principal  late  varieties,  the  Silvermine  and  Green 
Russian. 

Practically  no  hay  is  shipped  from  the  county.  Timothy  and 
medium  red  clover  predominate  over  all  the  other  hay  crops.     Alfalfa 


14  FIELD  OPERATIOl^S   OF  THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1918. 

is  next  in  importance.  In  1916  it  occupied  a  total  of  150  acres, 
according  to  the  Iowa  Yearbook.  Small  areas  of  alsike  clover, 
millet,  and  cowpea  hay  are  produced.  Millet  is  seeded  where  corn 
has  been  drowned  out.  The  production  of  cowpea  hay  is  largely 
confined  to  the  sandy  areas  near  Fredonia. 

All  the  wheat  produced  is  sold  to  the  elevators.  There  are  three 
leadmg  varieties  of  winter  wheat,  among  which  Turke}^  is  by  far  the 
most  extensively  grown.  Next  in  importance  is  Iowa  404,  which 
normally  occupies  500  to  600  acres;  and  then  MalakofI,  occupying 
400  to  500  acres.  The  leading  varieties  of  spring  wheat  are  Early 
Java  and  Marquis. 

Of  the  rye  produced,  two-thirds  is  shipped  out  of  the  comity. 
The  barley,  however,  is  all  used  for  feed.  The  Oderbrucker  (six- 
rowed)  is  practically  the  only  variety  grown. 

A  considerable  acreage  is  devoted  to  crops  for  canning.  A  factory 
at  Columbus  Junction,  which  manufactures  catsup,  gets  its  supply 
of  tomatoes  from  about  400  acres  fairly  evenly  distributed  in  the 
vicmity.  A  factory  at  Wapello  is  primarily  engaged  in  the  canning 
of  sweet  corn,  although  this  year  (1918)  they  have  also  canned 
string  beans.  All  the  sweet  corn  produced  in  the  county,  except 
that  grown  in  gardens  for  home  consumption,  is  taken  by  the  can- 
ning factory.  The  factory  obtains  part  of  its  raw  material  from  an 
area  of  about  250  acres  which  it  farms,  the  remainder  being  contracted 
for  with  farmers.  In  1918  the  contract  price  was  $14  a  ton,  in  the 
shuck,  delivered  at  the  factory.  The  farmers  buy  their  seed  from 
the  factory.  Dm-ing  the  1918  season  corn  and  beans  from  about 
2,800  acres  were  canned.  The  leading  varieties  of  sweet  corn  are  the 
Country  Gentleman  and  Evergreen. 

Orcharding  is  carried  on  to  a  very  small  extent.  There  are  seven 
or  eight  commercial  apple  orchards,  averaging  about  10  acres  each. 
One  is  situated  near  Newport,  another  near  Cairo,  and  the  rest  near 
Columbus  Junction.  The  fruit  is  for  the  most  part  sold  within  the 
county.  Probably  two-thirds  of  the  farms  have  home  orchards, 
which  seldom  are  over  one  acre  in  size.  The  orchards  consist  mainly 
of  apple  trees,  though  there  are  many  cherry  trees  and  smaller 
numbere  of  peach,  pear,  and  plum.  Only  the  winter  varieties  of 
apples  are  grown  commercially,  and  these  are  chiefly  the  Ben  Davis, 
Grimes,  Jonathan,  and  Gano.  Some  strawberries,  raspberries, 
blackberries,  and  grapes  are  grown. 

Trucking  may  be  said  to  be  limited  to  the  sandy  parts  of  the 
terraces  and  the  sandy  part  of  the  Mississippi  bottoms  in  the  vicinity 
of  Hopewell  School.  Melons  have  given  good  results,  but  lately 
they  have  been  largely  displaced  by  sweet  potatoes.  Some  water- 
melons and  a  smaller  acreage  of  cantaloupes  are  still  grown,  two- 
thirds  to  three-fourths  of  the  crop  being  consumed  within  the  county. 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF  LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA.  15 

About  1,000  acres  are  devoted  to  melons,  200  acres  to  sweet  potatoes, 
and  200  acres  to  cabbage. 

There  are  several  cooperative  concerns  for  tlie  l)U3'ing  and  selling 
of  farm  products  and  supplies.  The  Farmers  Union  Exchange  at 
Columbus  Junction  buys  products  such  as  butter,  eggs,  and  poultry 
and  sells  groceries,  farm  im])lements,  coal,  and  feed.  The  Farmers 
Union  Elevators  at  Wapello.  Morning  Sun,  and  Marsli  sell  flour, 
mill  feeds,  and  concentrates. 

Owing  to  the  lack  of  variation  from  place  to  place,  soil  and  topog- 
raphy have  comparatively  little  influence  on  the  distribution  of 
crops.  Orchard  fruits  are  kno-wn  to  do  best  on  slopes,  where  the 
air  drainage  is  good.  On  Muck  areas  the  small  grains  in  general 
and  oats  in  particular  have  been  found  to  produce  an  excessive  growth 
of  straw  which  causes  lodging  before  time  for  harvest.  Farmers  rec- 
ognize some  soils  as  best  adapted  for  the  production  of  certain  crops. 
Sandy  soils  are  considered  best  suited  for  the  growing  of  melons, 
sweet  potatoes,  rye,  early  varieties  of  corn,  and  truck  crops  in  gen- 
eral. The  light-colored,  naturally  forested  blufi^  soils  are  preferred  for 
growing  wheat,  and  the  dark-colored  prairie  upland  soils  for  corn 
and  oats.  Alfalfa  has  been  found  to  give  best  results  on  soil  high  in 
lime  and  where  the  subsoil  is  well,  though  not  excessively,  di'ained. 
There  seems  to  be  no  assignable  reason  for  the  approximate  restric- 
tion of  winter  wheat  to  the  first  bottoms  and  terraces  and  the  upland 
east  of  the  Iowa  River. 

About  60  per  cent  of  the  land  for  corn  is  plowed  in  the  fall,  to  a 
depth  of  5  to  6  inches,  and  left  rough  over  winter.  In  spring  plowing, 
the  land  is  frequently  disked  before  plowing  and  harrowed  afterwards; 
otherwise  it  is  plow^ed,  harrowed,  and  then  disked.  Planting  is  usu- 
ally done  between  May  10  and  June  1 .  About  95  per  cent  of  the  corn 
is  checked,  the  balance  being  drilled.  None  is  listed.  Of  that  drilled, 
the  greater  part  is  grown  for  fodder  and  is  drilled  close,  about  1  foot 
apart  in  the  row.  Checking  is  usually  3  feet  6  inches  each  way,  but 
sometimes  3  feet  8  inches  on  the  wore.  After  phmting,  a  harro%ving 
is  given  within  a  week,  or  before  it  rains.  This  breaks  the  crust  and 
prevents  erosion  in  the  planter  marks,  the  latter  being  especially  im- 
portant on  rough  ground.  The  crop  is  cultivated  an  average  of 
three  times,  the  first  two  cultivations  being  deeper  than  the  last. 
Level  cultivation,  with  very  little  ridguig,  is  generally  practiced. 
Six -shovel  cultivators  (three  to  a  gang)  are  commonly  used.  In  har- 
vesting the  crop,  approximately  75  per  cent  is  husked  from  the  stand- 
ing stalks,  10  per  cent  is  cut  for  ensilage,  10  per  cent  for  fodder  (of 
which  about  20  per  cent  is  shredded),  and  the  remaining  5  per  cent 
is  "hogged  down."  In  the  last  few  years  soy  beans  have  been  grown 
with  corn  on  a  few  farms.  They  are  seeded  in  the  hill  at  the  time 
the  corn  is  planted.  The  seed  is  generally  mixed  in  the  planting 
hopper,  which  is  set  to  drop  two  beans  and  two  kernels  per  hill. 


16  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

No  ^viIlte^  oats  are  grown  in  this  county.  Spring  oats  are  generally- 
sown  on  corn  stubble  without  any  preparation  of  the  land  before 
seeding.  A  small  acreage  is  drilled  in,  but  most  of  the  crop  is  broad- 
casted with  an  end-gate  seeder  at  the  rate  of  3  bushels  per  acre.  Seed- 
ing generally  takes  place  between  March  25  and  April  15.  After 
sowing,  the  land  is  double  disked  and  harrowed.  Most  of  the  crop 
is  thrashed  from  the  shock,  probably  not  over  1  per  cent  being 
stacked.  Not  over  5  per  cent  of  the  straw  is  baled,  and  little  of  this 
is  shipped  out  of  the  county.  The  greater  part  of  the  straw  is  used 
for  bedding  and  feed. 

Timothy  and  clover  are  customarily  broadcasted  after  the  disking 
of  oat  fields,  and  before  harrowing.  Very  little  timothy  and  clover 
is  grown  without  a  nurse  crop.  When  oats  are  used  as  a  nurse  crop, 
only  2  bushels,  instead  of  the  customary  3,  are  seeded  per  acre.  The 
rate  of  seeding  for  mixed  timothy  and  clover  is  6  pounds  of  timothy 
and  8  pounds  of  clover  per  acre.  Either  medium-red  or  alsike  clover 
is  grown.  Grown  separately,  the  rate  of  seeding  is  12  to  14  pounds  of 
medium-red  clover,  8  to  15  pounds  of  alsike  clover,  or  10  to  12  pounds 
of  timothy.  Hay  is  not  cut  the  first  year,  though  sometimes  a  little 
pasturage  is  obtained  late  in  the  fall.  The  next  year  one  cutting 
of  red  clover  is  obtained  for  hay,  and  a  second  lighter  cutting  for 
hay  or  seed.  With  either  alsike  clover  or  timothy  only  one  cutting 
is  obtained,  which  may  be  used  for  either  hay  or  seed.  Very  little 
alsike  is  hulled  for  seed,  but  about  2  per  cent  of  the  medium-red 
clover  and  about  5  per  cent  of  the  timothy  is  thrashed.  Of  the  total 
clover  crop,  about  10  per  cent  is  alsike,  which  is  grown  on  the  lower 
wetter  and  more  acid  soils.     Very  little  hay  is  baled. 

Winter  wheat  usually  follows  oats  or  winter  wheat,  more  often  the 
former.  The  ground  is  plowed  in  the  fall  to  a  depth  of  5  inches, 
disked,  lap  disked,  and  harrowed.  The  seed  is  drilled  in  at  the  rate 
of  5  to  6  pecks  per  acre  between  September  10  and  October  10. 
After  September  25  danger  from  the  Hessian  fly  is  supposed  to  be 
past. 

Rye  is  sown  almost  exclusively  on  sandy  soils,  generally  following 
oats  or  rye.  The  seed  bed  is  prepared  as  for  winter  wheat  but  with 
less  disking  and  harrowing.  The  crop  is  seeded  at  the  rate  of  5  pecks 
per  acre  between  September  20  and  October  20.  Barley  is  seeded 
about  10  days  later  than  oats,  as  it  is  not  as  hardy.  It  is  always 
broadcasted,  and  is  sown  on  land  in  corn  the  preceding  year.  Spring 
wheat  is  seeded  before  oats  and  also  on  land  last  in  corn,  generally 
between  March  15  and  April  5. 

Potatoes  usually  follow  oats  though  sometimes  corn.  The  crop  is 
in  most  cases  followed  by  corn.  The  ground  is  usually  fall  plowed, 
allowed  to  lie  rough  over  winter,  and  in  the  spring  disked,  lap  disked, 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   LOUISA   COUNTY,    IOWA,  17 

harrowed,  and  lap  harrowod.  Planting  of  the  (>arly  crop  is  done  be- 
tween April  20  and  30,  and  of  the  late  crop  between  May  15  and  30. 
Planters  are  used  by  some  farmers,  but  in  most  cases  the  rows  arc 
marked  off  with  a  plow  and  the  seed  dropped  l)y  hand.  The  crop  is 
either  dug  with  a  potato  digger  or  plowed  out.  About  August  15 
the  early  crop  is  harvested,  wliilc  the  late  crop  is  gathered  between 
September  15  to  October  15. 

In  growing  sweet  corn  the  same  methods  are  used  in  seed-bed 
preparation,  planting,  and  cultivating  as  in  the  case  of  field  corn, 
except  that  the  date  of  planting  is  a  little  later.  Sweet  corn  is  fre- 
quently the  crop  used  in  replanting  bottom  lands.  The  ears  are  snapped 
in  the  field  and  hauled  to  the  canning  factory,  the  stalks  being  used 
later  for  pasturage  or  cut  for  fodder. 

About  5  per  cent  of  the  alfalfa  grown  in  the  county  is  started  with 
the  aid  of  a  nurse  crop,  which  is  generally  oats  but  sometimes  rye. 
The  seed  bed  is  well  prepared  and  frequently  summer  fallowed  and 
harrowed  repeatedly  before  seeding,  to  get  rid  of  the  weeds.  If  a 
nurse  crop  is  used  seeding  is  done  in  April,  otherwise  in  Jime  or 
August.  The  blue-fiowered  Kansas  or  Nebraska  common  seed  or 
the  Grimm  variety  is  used  and  sown  at  the  rate  of  15  to  20  pounds 
per  acre.  If  a  nurse  crop  is  used  one  cutting  is  made  for  hay,  other- 
wise the  crop  is  not  cut  the  first  year.  After  the  first  year  three  or 
four  cuttings  are  obtained  annually.  The  first  cutting  is  made  be- 
tween June  1  and  June  10,  the  second  about  July  15,  the  third  about 
August  25,  and  the  fourth  about  September  15. 

On  a  majority  of  the  farms  in  Louisa  County  the  buildings  in- 
clude beside  the  house  a  horse  barn,  cattle  barn,  corn  crib,  hog 
houses,  granary,  poultry  house,  machine  shed,  garage,  and  hay  bar- 
rack. The  machinery  usually  includes  a  gas  engine  for  pumping, 
grinding,  and  similar  work;  walking,  sullrv^,  and  gang  plows;  disk 
harrow,  spike-tooth  harrow,  corn  sheller,  end-gate  seeder,  grain 
drill,  binder,  mower,  and  dump  rake.  About  20  per  cent  of  the 
farms  have  silos.  There  are  a  few  double-row  cultivators  in  use, 
and  five  or  six  tractor  cultivators.  Corn  binders  are  found  on  about 
30  per  cent  of  the  farms.  There  are  a  few  shredders,  60  to  75  ensi- 
lage cutters,  and  several  side-delivery  rakes  and  hay  loaders.  Ma- 
nure spreaders  are  found  on  50  per  cent  or  more  of  the  farms.  There 
are  numerous  orchard-spra^nng  outfits,  about  70  thrashing  outfits, 
7  or  8  clover  hullers,  and  80  to  100  tractors,  mostly  of  the  2,  3,  and  4 
bottom  sizes.  The  work  stock  is  of  good  quality.  Much  emphasis 
has  been  placed  in  recent  years  on  the  desirability  of  good  stallions. 
Only  about  3  per  cent  of  the  work  stock  consists  of  mules.  The 
horses  average  medium  to  heavy,  weighing  1,200  to  1,500  pounds. 
186268°— 21 3 


18  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

Most  of  the  farmers  of  Louisa  County  follow  a  more  or  less  definite 
rotation.  About  60  per  cent  use  a  rotation  consisting  of  corn,  corn, 
oats  and  clover  or  wheat  and  clover,  and  clover.  Of  the  remainder 
about  20  per  cent  use  the  following  rotation:  Corn,  corn,  oats, 
wheat,  and  clover.  Another  20  per  cent  rotate  corn  and  oats,  with 
an  occasional  change  to  clover.  Where  winter  wheat  is  grown  the 
crop  sequence  is  generally  corn,  corn,  wheat,  wheat,  and  clover.  On 
especially  sandy  soils  corn,  rye,  and  clover  are  often  grown  in  rotation.* 

The  census  reports  that  only  1.4  per  cent  of  the  farms  used  com- 
mercial fertilizer  in  1909,  at  a  total  cost  of  $815.  A  considerable 
quantity  of  lime,  which  is  used  for  correcting  soil  acidity,  is  shipped 
in  each  year.  In  1918  about  1,000  tons  were  imported.  Barnyard 
manure  is  generally  applied  to  sod  following  removal  of  the  hay  and 
before  plowing  for  corn. 

Farm  laborers  in  this  county  are  white,  and  mostly  of  American 
birth.  Before  the  war  demands  created  unusual  conditions  the  sup- 
ply was  abmidant.  Wages  for  a  single  man  were  ordinarily  $30  to 
$40  a  month  and  board ;  for  a  married  man,  $40  to  $50  and  the  use  of 
a  house,  garden,  a  cow  or  poultry,  and  sometimes  fuel ;  and  for  day 
labor,  $1.50  to  $3.  Corn  husking  was  paid  for  at  the  rate  of  3  to  6 
cents  a  bushel,  depending  on  the  season,  yield,  and  other  conditions. 

The  1910  census  gives  the  number  of  farms  in  the  county  as  1,543, 
practically  the  same  as  in  1880.  The  range  in  size  is  from  40  acres  to 
about  1,600,  with  an  average  in  1910  of  153.6  acres.  Of  the  area 
of  the  average  farm,  80.6  per  cent,  or  123.7  acres,  consists  of  improved 
land. 

The  census  shows  a  steady  decrease  in  the  percentage  of  farms 
operated  by  owners,  from  77.5  per  cent  in  1880  to  64.4  per  cent  in 
1910.  Of  the  farms  operated  by  tenants,  only  about  15  per  cent  are 
rented  for  cash.  In  most  cases  the  tenant  furnishes  the  live  stock, 
implements,  one-half  the  seed,  and  pays  $5  to  $7  per  acre  for  pasture; 
the  land  owner  furnishes  one-half  the  seed,  and  receives  one-half  the 
crop. 

The  average  assessed  value  of  farm  land  as  shown  by  the  census 
increased  from  $36.56  an  acre  in  1880  to  $90.78  in  1910.  At  the 
present  (1918)  land  values  range  from  $40  or  $50  an  acre  for  very 
sandy  or  unimproved,  undrained  land  to  $300  an  acre  for  the  best 
improved,  well-located  upland.  The  average  valuation  of  upland 
farms  at  the  time  of  writing  is  about  $150  to  $175  an  acre. 

*  One  farmer  is  buildin.;,'  up  some  sandy  land  in  a  profitable  manner  by  following;  sweet  corn  with  rye, 
put  in  with  a  one-horse  drill  at  the  last  cultivation;  the  whole  crop  is  pastured.  This  process  is  repeated 
each  year. 


son.  SURVEY   OF  LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA.  19 

SOILS. ^ 

Oil  tho  basis  of  origin  and  processes  of  accumulation  of  the  soil 
material,  the  soils  of  Louisa  County  may  be  divided  into  three  j)rincipai 
groups,  namely,  loessial,  glacial,  and  alluvial. 

Loess,  which  is  the  parent  material  of  the  most  extensive  soils, 
forms  a  mantle  over  the  glacial  drift  of  the  entire  upland  except 
where  it  has  been  removed  by  erosion.  It  is  thickest  over  the  eastern 
part  of  the  upland,  being  about  20  feet  thick  along  the  l)lufrs  of 
the  Mississij)pi  River  and  thinning  out  toward  the  west.  In  i)laces 
south  of  Elrick  and  along  the  west  bluff  of  Iowa  River  it  is  15  feet 
thick,  but  a  mile  west  of  these  bluffs  it  thins  down  to  8  feet  and  con- 
tmues  toward  the  west  at  that  thickness  or  a  little  less.  The  loess  is 
usually  thicker  along  the  slopes  of  the  larger  valleys.  When  the 
bluffs  face  the  west,  the  edge  of  the  upland  is  frequently  bordered  by 
a  ridge  of  fine  sand.  A  good  example  of  this  is  seen  north  of  Wai)ello, 
northwest  and  southeast  of  Hog  Back. 

The  loess  in  its  unweathered  condition  is  an  even-grained  material 
composed  largely  of  silt.  The  color  ranges  from  light  grayish  brown 
to  yellowish  brown.  The  material  is  slightly  coherent  where  undis- 
turbed, but  breaks  down  readily  into  a  loose,  floury  dust.  Under 
erosion  it  has  a  tendency  to  mamtain  vertical  banks,  and  these  often 
show  a  columnar  structure.  A  number  of  distinct  soils  have  been 
derived  from  the  loess  in  this  area.  Differences  in  their  color  and 
composition  are  due  in  part  to  \'ariations  hi  the  original  material, 
but  i^robably  to  a  greater  extent  to  tho  different  conditions  under 
which  weatheruig  has  taken  place  and  to  the  unequal  periods  of  time 
during  which  the  processes  of  weatheruig  have  oi)erated.  The  most 
noticeable  changes  that  have  taken  place  are  the  accumulation  of 
organic  matter  in  the  surface  soil,  the  concentration  of  clay  in  the 

subsoil,  and  the  leaching  and  partial  removal  of  lime  from  the  weath- 

_^  _ 

5  The  southwestern  part  of  Louisa  County,  joins  the  northeastern  corner  of  Henry  County.  Small 
areas  in  Henry  County  wore  mapped  as  Marion  silt  loam  but  in  LouisaCounty  the  adjoining  areas  were 
mapped  as  Clinton  silt  loam.  The  only  difference  between  the  two  soils  consists  in  the  lighter  color  of  the 
Marion.  In  the  more  recent  mapping  of  Louisa  County  these  areas  were  not  considered  light  enough  in 
color  for  inclusion  in  the  Marion  series. 

In  several  places  along  the  boundary  between  the  two  counties  the  Grundy  soils  in  Henry  County  abut 
against  Tama  soils  in  LouisaCounty.  This  is  due  to  the  creation  of  the  Tama  series  since  the  Henry  County 
map  was  completed.  The  Tama  soils  differ  from  the  Cirundy  in  having  more  penetrable  and  lighter  tex- 
tured subsoils. 

Wlien  Muscatine  County  was  mapped  a  large  part  of  the  area  known  as  Muscatine  Island  was  mapped 
as  low  terrace,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  thought  to  lie  above  possible  overflows.  When  Louisa  County 
was  surveyed  several  years  later  it  was  learned  that  during  stages  of  extreme  high  water  the  area  overflows, 
and  so  the  same  soil  was  mapped  as  an  alluvial  bottom-land  type  rather  than  a  terrace  type.  On  the  Mus- 
catine map  they  are  shown  as  Buckner  soils  and  on  Hie  Louisa  map  as  Cass,  the  difference  being  that  the 
Buckncr  soils  occur  on  terraces  above  overflow  and  the  Cass  soils  at  a  lower  level  and  subject  to  at  least 
occasional  flooding.  The  more  detailed  work  done  in  Louisa  County  shows  the  presence  of  a  loam  where 
it  was  mapped  as  sand  in  Muscatine  County. 


20  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

ered  upper  zone.  In  the  more  nearly  level  upland  areas,  weathering 
under  conditions  of  imperfect  drainage  has  resulted  in  a  mottled  lower 
subsoil.  The  accumulation  and  retention  of  the  black  organic  matter 
that  imparts  the  dark  color  to  these  soils  has  been  favored  by  their 
prairie  condition,  topography,  abundant  vegetation,  and  probably  by 
an  adequate  supply  of  lime.  The  light-colored  soils  derived  from  the 
loess  were  origmally  wooded,  and  owing  to  their  more  rollmg  surface, 
which  made  erosion,  leaching,  and  oxidation  more  active,  conditions 
for  the  accumulation  of  organic  matter  were  much  less  favorable. 

In  this  area  the  darker  colored  loessial  soils  are  divided  into  three 
series,  the  Grundy,  Tama,  and  Muscatine.  '  The  light-colored  loessial 
soils  are  classed  with  the  Clinton  and  the  Knox  series.  The  Putnam 
series  has  a  rather  dark  surface  soil  but  has  a  lighter  gray  subsurface 
layer. 

Beneath  the  loess  and  overlying  the  bedrock  are  beds  of  glacial 
drift  composed  of  rock  debris  left  by  successive  invasions  of  the  con- 
tinental ice  sheets.  Three  beds  of  different  age  have  been  identified 
in  this  area,  but  the  two  older  are  covered  by  the  later  or  lowan 
sheet.  The  drift  is  exposed  only  along  deep  stream  valleys,  and  the 
soil  derived  from  it  is  of  small  extent.  It  is  correlated  as  the  Lindley 
silt  loam. 

The  bedrock  of  the  area,  consisting  of  shale  and  limestone,  is  ex- 
posed only  to  a  very  slight  extent  and  its  weathered  products  affect 
the  composition  of  the  soils  only  over  very  small  areas,  none  of  suffi- 
cient extent  to  indicate  on  the  soil  map. 

The  alluvial  or  stream-deposited  soils  fall  into  two  broad  groups, 
terrace  soils,  covermg  the  benches  or  second  bottoms,  and  first- 
bottom  or  flood-plain  soils.  The  terraces  lie  above  the  present 
limit  of  overflow  from  the  streams,  but  the  first  bottoms  are  subject 
to  occasional  or  frequent  inundations  except  where  artificial  protec- 
tion has  been  provided.  The  more  thorough  weathering,  aeration, 
and  leaching  of  the  older  terrace  soils  justifies  their  separation  from 
the  newer  soils  of  the  present  flood  plains. 

The  Grundy  soils  are  dark  brown  to  black  and  underlain  by  a 
rather  heavy,  mottled  dark-brown,  drab,  yellowish-brown,  and 
rusty-brown  sul^soil.  Frequently  the  lower  part  of  the  surface 
layer  is  slightly  lighter  colored  than  the  upper  part,  suggesting  a 
gray  subsurface  layer.  The  topography  varies  from  level  to  rolling, 
but  is  predominantly  gently  rolling. 

The  Muscatine  soils  are  dark  brown  to  black,  overlying  dark-brown, 
Hght  brownish  gray,  grayish-brown,  and  yellowish-brown  subsoils. 
Below  a  depth  of  24  inches  the  subsoil  is  heavier  in  texture  and  brown 
or  yellow  mottled  with  gray.  This  material  extends  to  a  depth  of 
3  feet  or  more,  though  sometimes  the  lower  6  inches  of  the  3-foot 
section  gradually    becomes   looser   than    that   immediately   above. 


SOIL  SURVFA'   OF   LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA.  21 

These  soils  occupy  level  to  slightly  undulatinj^  prairie.  They  are 
similar  to  tlio  Grundy  in  general  appearance,  but  typically  they  have 
a  subsoil  little  heavier  than  a  heavy  silt  loam  and  mottling  occurs  at 
24  to  30  inches  below  the  surface.  In  this  county  the  su})soil  is 
heavier  and  more  compact  as  the  series  gradually  passes  into  the 
Grundy.  Going  north  from  Lee  and  Hem-y  Counties  to  Muscatine 
and  more  northern  counties,  the  difference  l)et\voen  the  two  scries 
is  well  marked,  but  in  tliis  county  tlie  separation  is  ratlier  ar})itrary. 
It  was  found  that  tlio  Iowa  River  marks  tlie  dividing  line  between 
the  two  soils,  and  accordingly  the  praii'ie  soils  of  the  eastern  upland 
were  mapped  in  the  Muscatine  series  and  those  of  the  western  upland 
in  the  Grundy  series. 

The  Clinton  series  is  characterized  by  gray  or  dark-gray  surface 
soils,  underlain  by  light-brown  or  yeUowish-brown  compact  subsoils. 
The  topography  is  rolling  to  broken,  and  surface  drainage  is  well 
estabUshed.  These  soils  occur  in  areas  that  were  forested  in  the  virgin 
state. 

The  Tama  soils  are  dark  brown,  underlain  by  j^ello wish-brown, 
moderately  friable  subsoils.  The  members  of  this  series  occupy  roll- 
ing areas  which  were  predominantly  prairie  in  their  natural  state. 
They  are  intermediate  in  characteristics  between  the  Clinton,  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  Grundy  and  Muscatine,  on  the  other. 

The  Knox  soils  are  brown,  with  light-brown  or  yeUow,  friable 
subsoils.  The  topography  ranges  from  gentlj^  roUing  to  sharply 
roUing.     These  soils  are  derived  from  wind-laid  material. 

The  Putnam  soils  are  light  brown  or  medium  brown  to  a  deptli  of 
6  to  12  inches,  where  they  are  underlain  by  a  gray  layer  little  if  any 
heavier  than  the  surface  soil  and  extending  to  a  depth  of  12  to  20 
inches.  Here  there  is  encountered  a  heavy,  plastic  clay,  mottled 
dark  drab  and  yellowish  brown.  The  transition  from  the  subsur- 
face layer  to  subsoil  is  quite  abrupt.  The  lower  subsoil  is  mottled 
dark  brown,  drab,  and  yellowish  brown,  and  is  generally  hghter  in 
texture  than  the  upper  subsoil,  though  no  lighter  than  the  surface 
soil.  The  topography  of  the  Putnam  soils  is  smooth.  They  closely 
resemble  the  Grundy,  but  differ  in  the  presence  of  the  subsurface  gray 
layer  and  in  the  slightly  lighter  color  of  the  surface  soil.  The  one  mem- 
ber of  this  series  mapped  in  this  county  is  found  principally  around 
the  heads  of  drainage  ways  and  where  the  prairie  and  forest  meet. 

The  glacial  soil  in  this  county  is  derived  from  the  Kansan  or  lUi- 
noian  till  according  to  the  part  of  the  county  in  which  it  occurs. 
Only  one  glacial  series,  the  Lindley,  has  been  mapped  in  this  county. 
The  Lindley  soils  are  generally  yellowish  brown,  ranging  from  gray 
to  brown,  and  are  typically  shallow,  the  dark  silt  surface  layer  seldom 
extending  to  a  greater  depth  than  8  inches.  They  are  underlain 
by   yellowish    to   yeUo wish-brown,    or   occasionally   reddish-brown. 


22  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF  THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1918. 

subsoils,  in  most  places  free  from  mottling  but  here  and  there  faintly 
mottled  with  gray.  The  subsoil  is  heavier  than  the  surface  soil, 
though  generally  containing  considerable  sand  or  gravel.  Small 
rock  fragments  are  in  most  areas  present  throughout  the  3-foot 
section,  and  iron  concretions  occur  in  the  subsoil.  The  topography 
is  for  the  most  part  rather  rough.  The  Lindloy  soils  are  naturally 
forested. 

The  terrace  soils  are  thought  to  l)e  derived  from  alluvial  materials, 
capped  with  a  thin  veneer  of  loess."  Those  along  the  Iowa  and  Cedar 
Rivers  are  supposed  to  have  been  built  up  at  the  time  of  the  lowan 
ice  invasion,  while  those  along  the  Mississippi  River,  in  the  north- 
eastern corner  of  the  county,  represent  deposits  from  the  drainage 
waters  of  the  Wisconsin  ice.''  The  soils  on  the  terraces  are  grouped 
in  four  series,  namely,  the  Bremer,  Buckner,  Waukesha,  and  Calhoun. 

The  soils  of  the  Bremer  series  are  black  and  underlain  by  gray  to 
black,  heavy-textured  subsoils,  mottled  with  drab  and  yellowish 
brown.  The  subsoils  are  as  heavy  as  the  surface  soils,  or  heavier, 
to  a  depth  of  3  feet  or  more,  and  in  the  heavier  members  of  the  series 
are  tough  and  plastic.  In  their  natural  state  the  drainage  is  fair 
to  poor.  The  series  is  distinguished  from  the  Wabash  in  lying  above 
overflow. 

The  Buckner  series  includes  brown  to  dark-brown  surface  soils 
underlain  by  lighter  colored,  friable  subsoils,  having  a  texture  similar 
to  that  of  the  soil.  These  types  are  composed  of  reworked  loessial 
material  frequently  mixed  with  sediments  from  glacial  and  residual 
soils.     The  drainage  is  good  and  occasionally  slightly  excessive. 

The  Waukesha  soils  are  dark  brown  to  black  and  underlain  by  a 
light-brown  to  yellow,  friable  subsoil.  The  latter,  wliile  heavier 
than  the  surface  soil,  is  not  compact  or  impervious.  The  Waukesha 
soils  are  naturally  well  drained. 

The  members  of  the  Calhoun  series  have  gray  to  grayish-brown 
surface  soils,  and  a  gray  or  drab,  heavy  clay  subsoil.  The  latter  is 
tenacious,  waxy,  and  impervious,  and  generally  contains  iron  con- 
cretions. In  places  the  substratum  consists  of  sandy  material. 
The  Calhoun  soils  occupy  poorly  drained,  or  what  were  at  one  time 
poorly  drained,  flats.  While  they  lie  above  overflow,  water  generally 
stands  in  the  hollows  after  rains,  owing  to  the  impervious  nature  of 
the  subsoil.  Many  of  the  areas  occupied  by  these  soils  are  naturally 
forested. 

The  first-bottom  soils  consist  of  alluvium  deposited  in  compara- 
tively recent  times  by  the  streams  they  adjoin.  They  include  two 
series,  the  Wabash  and  Cass,  and  in  addition  the  miscellaneous 
types  of  Muck  and  Riverwash. 

«  Geology  of  Louisa  County,  by  J.  A.  Udden,  Iowa  Geological  Survey,  Vol.  XI,  I'JOi,  p.  113. 
'  Idem,  pp.  113-114. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA. 


23 


The  Wabash  series  includes  dark-brown  to  black  soils,  hio:h  in 
organic  matter,  underlain  by  a  hcav>^  subsoil  ranging  in  color  from 
dark  brown  to  dark  drab  or  gray,  and  mottled  with  yellowish  brown. 
The  alluvium  has  been  derived  principally  from  loessial  and  silty 
glacial  uplands.  Excej)t  where  jirotectcd  by  levees,  the  Wa])asli 
soils  are  subject  to  overilow.  Natural  drainage  is  well  established 
in  some  places,  but  here  and  there  it  is  rather  imperfect. 

The  Cass  series  is  characterized  by  dark-brown  to  black  surface 
soils,  underlain  by  a  lighter  textured  subsoil.  In  places  the  subsoil 
passes  into  loose  sand  or  gravel  within  the  3-foot  section,  while  in 
other  places,  after  passing  through  material  coarser  than  the  surface 
soil,  it  is  underlain  by  heavier  textured  material.  While  these  soils 
are  subject  to  overflow  unless  protected  by  levees,  they  are  in  most 
cases,  owing  to  the  porosity  of  the  subsoil  layer,  naturally  well 
drained.  They  differ  from  the  members  of  the  Wabash  series  in 
their  lighter  textured  subsoil. 

The  following  table  gives  the  name  and  the  actual  and  relative 
extent  of  the  various  soils  mapped  in  Louisa  County: 

Areas  of  different  soils. 


Soil. 


Clinton  silt  loam 

Tama  silt  loam 

Grundy  silt  loam 

Muscatine  silt  loam 

Lindley  silt  loam 

Wabash  silty  clay  loam . 

Wabash  loam 

Waukesha  silt  loam 

Wabash  clay 

Cassloam 

Buckner  fino  sandy  loam 

Bucknerloam 

Bremer  silty  clay  loam. . 

Bremer  silt  loam 

Grundy  silty  clay  loam . . 
Cass  sandy  loam 


Acres. 

Per 

cent. 

43,200 

17.0 

2f.,  6SS 

10.5 

2(i,  432 

10.4 

22,  404 

8.9 

19, 32S 

7.6 

18,496 

7.3 

13,668 

5.4 

10, 752 

4.2 

10,240 

4.0 

9,088 

3.6 

9,024 

3.6 

7,872 

3.1 

5,248 

2.1 

4,864 

1.9 

4,544 

1.8 

3, 328 

1.3 

Soil. 


Buckner  fine  sand 

Cass  silty  clay  loam 

Riverwash 

Cass  sand 

Buckner  sand 

Calhoim  silt  loam 

Buckner  silt  loam 

Colldvial  phase 

Bremer  clay 

Muck 

Knox  fine  sand 

Putnam  silt  loam 

Muscatine  silty  claj-  loam 

Total 


Acre-s. 


3,130 

2,944 

2,496 

1,984 

1,408 

1,344 

128 

1,152 

1,216 

1,216 

640 

384 

256 


2.53, 440 


Per 
cent. 


1.2 
1.2 
1.0 
O.S 
0.5 
0.5 
0.5 

0.5 
0.5 
0.3 
0.2 
0.1 


GRUNDY    SILT   LOAM. 


The  surface  soil  of  the  Grundy  silt  loajn  is  a  dark-brown  to  black, 
friable  silt  loam,  extending  to  a  depth  of  about  12  inches.  The  sub- 
soil is  a  dark-brown  to  black,  heavy  silt  loam  to  silty  clay  loam,  pass- 
ing at  18  to  20  inches  into  a  dark-brown  silty  clay  loam  slightly  mottled 
with  yellowish  brown.  At  about  24  inches  this  in  turn  passes  into  a 
heavy  silty  clay  loam  to  silty  clay  which  is  strongly  mottled  dark 
brown,  bluish  gray,  arid  yellowish  brown.  The  dark  brown  soon  dis- 
appears and  the  material  becomes  heavier  and  more  compact  with 


24  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF  THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1018. 

depth.  The  lower  subsoil  is  frequontly  very  tenacious.  The  bluish- 
gray  tone  is  in  some  places  rather  light  and  in  others  rather  dark,  the 
latter  seeming  to  be  the  case  where  the  soil  is  wet. 

This  is  the  predominant  soil  on  the  western  upland.  It  occupies, 
with  the  exception  of  the  most  nearly  level  areas,  the  less  dissected 
portions  of  the  upland  back  from  the  bluffs,  and  in  some  cases  ex- 
extends  uninterruptedly  for  several  square  miles.  It  generally  ad- 
joins the  Grundy  silty  clay  loam  and  Tama  silt  loam,  but  occasionally 
borders  the  Lindley  silt  loam  or  Clinton  silt  loam,  and  in  some  cases 
extends  down  a  gentler  slope.  One  of  the  more  noticeable  of  the 
slope  areas  adjoins  the  old  Illinoian  River  channel. 

The  topography  varies  from  almost  level  to  gently  rollmg.  Both 
surface  run-off  and  underdrainage  are  good  over  the  greater  part  of 
the  type,  though  a  few  places  on  slopes  are  slightly  seepy.  While 
tiling  is  not  essential  to  crop  production,  many  farmers  have  put  in 
tile  and  consider  the  investment  profitable. 

The  Grundy  silt  loam  is  one  of  the  most  important  soil  types  in  the 
county.  Between  90  and  95  per  cent  of  it  is  in  cultivation,  the  re- 
mainder being  used  for  building  sites,  feed  lots,  barn  lots,  and  tem- 
porary pasture.  The  type  is  preeminently  a  corn  soil,  and  one  of  the 
best  in  the  corn  belt.  Other  important  crops  grown  are  oats,  hay,  and 
wheat.  Cattle  raising  and  feeding  and  the  other  less  important 
branches  of  live-stock  farming  are  well  developed  on  this  soil. 

Corn  yields  ^  range  from  35  to  75  bushels  per  acre  and  average  about 
45  bushels.  Higher  yields  have  been  made  in  a  few  instances.  Oats 
yield  35  to  75  bushels,  with  an  average  of  about  50  bushels.  Clover 
and  timothy  range  in  yield  from  three-fourths  ton  to  2  tons,  with  an 
average  of  1^  tons.  Spring  wheat  yields  10  to  40  bushels,  with  an 
average  of  about  25  bushels.  By  following  the  proper  methods, 
alfalfa  can  be  grown,  and  it  is  produced  to  a  small  extent.  The 
average  yield  for  the  season  is  about  2f  tons  per  acre. 

Land  of  this  type  sells  at  $150  to  $300  an  acre,^  with  an  average  of 
$180  an  acre.  The  price  varies  with  the  improvements  and  the  near- 
ness to  towns  and  lines  of  transportation. 

GRUNDY   SILTY  CLAY   LOAM. 

The  Grundy  silty  clay  loam  has  a  surface  soil  of  dark-brown  to 
black  silty  clay  loaai,  underlain  at  a  depth  of  12  inches  by  a  black, 
heavy,  plastic  silty  clay,  which  at  IS  inches  becomes  dark  gray, 
mottled  with  pale  grayish  yellow  and  rusty  brown.  With  increased 
depth  the  subsoil  becomes  increasingly  heavy  and  plastic  and  the  pale 

8  Yields  for  this  and  other  soil  types  are  estimated  from  State  crop  reports,  TT  S.  Census  data,  and  the  ob- 
servations of  field  men  during  the  progress  of  the  survey. 

9  Land  values  as  stated  for  this  and  other  soil  types  are  based  in  part  on  reported  land  sales  and  in  part  on 
observations  of  the  field  men  during  the  progress  of  thesurvcy. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA  COUNTY,   IOWA.  25 

grayish  yellow  to  light-gray  jnottlings  increasingly  abundant.  ]n 
the  area  lna])ped  just  south  of  the  town  of  Morning  Sun,  the  surface 
soil  is  perceptibly  heavier  than  typical,  more  nearly  approaching  a 
silty  clay. 

The  type  occut-s  for  the  most  part  on  the  level  divides  between  the 
Iowa  and  Skunk  Rivers  and  between  the  more  important  creeks.  It 
also  occurs  at  the  heads  of  gently  sloping  draws  (though  it  is  generally 
of  too  small  extent  to  be  mapped  in  these  positions)  and  in  low-lying, 
depressed  areas,  the  largest  and  most  typical  example  of  which  is  in 
sec.  36,  T.  74  N.,  R.  5  W.,  in  the  old  Illinoian  River  channel.  The 
type  occurs  in  areas  varying  in  size  from  a  few  acres  to  several  hun- 
dred acres.  The  largest  area  lies  about  3  miles  southeast  of  Wyman, 
the  town  itself  being  situated  on  a  slightly  smaller  area.  The  type  is 
almost  always  surrounded  by  Grundy  silt  loam. 

Surface  drainage  is  naturally  deficient,  but  draws  have  cut  back  to 
such  an  extent  from  the  other  soil  types  that  an  outlet  for  ditching  or 
tile,  with  ample  fall,  is  available.  In  spite  of  the  compact  structure 
and  heavy  texture  of  the  subsoil,  tile  drains,  when  properly  spaced, 
seem  to  have  no  difficulty  in  carrying  off  the  surplus  water. 

Although  not  so  extensive  as  the  Grundy  silt  loam,  this  type  is 
very  important  agi'iculturally,  being,  where  well  drained,  fully  as 
productive  and  probably  having  greater  inherent  fertility.  Between 
85  and  90  per  cent  is  in  cultivation,  the  remainder  being  in  lots  and 
building  sites,  with  a  rather  small  area  in  pasture.  This  type  is 
sometimes  left  in  pasture  until  a  tile  drain  has  been  installed.  It 
is  naturally  prairie,  none  of  the  areas  being  forested.  Like  tiie 
Grundy  silt  loam,  it  is  particularly  a  corn  soil,  the  other  important 
crops  being  hay,  oats,  and,  on  some  farms,  wheat.  On  account  of 
the  absence  of  hollows,  which  makes  this  type  so  admirably  suited 
for  cultivation,  the  different  branches  of  live-stock  farming  are  not 
as  well  developed  as  on  the  Grundy  silt  loam. 

Corn  ranges  in  yield  from  35  to  80  bushels,  with  an  average  of 
about  50  bushels  jjcr  acre;  hay  from  1  to  2  tons,  with  an  average  of 
1|  tons;  oats  from  35  to  80  bushels,  with  an  average  of  about  50 
I)ushels;  and  wheat  from  8  to  35  bushels,  with  an  average  of  20 
l)ushels. 

Owing  to  its  heavy  texture,  this  soil  tends  to  stick  to  cultural 
implements  when  wet,  and  if  handled  in  such  condition  it  tends  to 
bake  and  clod  upon  drying.  Barnyard  manure  is  practically  the 
only  fertilizer  used.  The  application  of  lime,  as  on  other  types,  is 
corrJng  into  more  general  use. 

This  land  sells  for  i$150  to  $250  an  acre,  with  an  average  of  about 
$170.     Prices  depend  upon  the  improvements  and  the  nearness  to 
towns  and  transportation  lines. 
186268°— 21 4 


26 


FIELD  OPERATIONS   OF  THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 


The  productiveness  of  the  Grund\'  silty  clay  loam  can  be  in- 
creased by  the  apphcation  of  lime,  the  incorporation  of  all  the 
vegetable  matter  possible  through  the  plowing  under  of  a  green- 
manure  crop  whenever  feasible,  and  a  greater  depth  of  plowing  to 
be  attained  gradually. 

The  following  table  gives  the  results  of  mechanical  analyses  of 
samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Grundy  silty  clay  loam: 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Grundy  silty  clay  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine       c,,^ 
sand.           ''"'• 

Clay. 

332461 

Soil 

Per  cent. 

0.0 

.0 

Per  cent. 
0.8 
1.6 

Per  cent. 

0.4 

.9 

Per  cent. 
2.4 
5.1 

Per  cent.    Per  cent. 
4.4            60.4 
6.2            53.8 

Per  cent. 
31.9 

332462 

Subsoil 

32.8 

MUSCATINE    SILT   LOAM. 


The  surface  soil  of  the  Muscatine  silt  loam  is  a  dark-brown  to 
black,  friable  silt  loam,  extending  to  a  depth  of  12  inches,  underlain 
by  a  dark-brown  or  medimn-brown,  heavy  silt  loam,  which  soon  ])asses 
into  a  silty  clay  loam.  At  22  to  24  inches  the  subsoil  becomes  mottled 
light  bluish  gray  and  jrellowish  brown  with  a  lesser  amount  of  rusty 
brown,  and  contains  some  dark-brown  to  black  iron  concretions. 
In  the  lower  part  of  the  3 -foot  section  the  texture  frequently  approxi- 
mates silty  clay,  but  the  type  never  becomes  as  heavy  and  compact 
as  the  Grundy  silt  loam.  The  type  as  it  occurs  in  this  county  is 
quite  uniform.  In  some  of  the  less  well  drained  places  the  light 
bluish  gray  color  in  the  subsoil  is  displaced  by  dark  bluish  gray. 

The  Muscatine  silt  loam  is  the  predominant  t}^)e  of  the  eastern 
upland.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  included  areas  of  Muscatine 
silty  clay  loam,  it  occupies  the  greater  part  of  the  upland  back  from 
the  bluff  and  back  from  the  better  drained  sections.  The  tyj)e 
generally  adjoins  the  Tama  silt  loam,  but  occasionally  the  Clinton 
silt  loam,  and  very  rarely  the  Lindley  silt  loam.  The  topography 
is  level  to  gently  rolling.  Both  surface  run-off  and  underdrainage 
are  generally  good,  though  there  is  a  slight  inclination  to  seepiness 
in  some  places. 

As  previously  stated,  this  soil  and  the  Grimdy  silt  loam  differ 
almost  imperceptibly,  the  former  being  mapped  in  the  eastern  up- 
land and  the  latter  in  the  western,  the  Iowa  River  being  taken  as  the 
boundary.  This  somewhat  arbitrary  separation  is  necessitated  by 
the  gradual  lightening  of  the  color  and  texture  of  the  subsoil  to  the 
north. 

The  principal  crops  grown  on  the  Muscatine  silt  loam  are  corn, 
oats,  hay,  and,  to  a  lesser  extent,  wheat.  Winter  wheat  is  grown  on 
the  eastern  upland  almost  to  the  exclusion  of  spring  wheat.     Yields 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA. 


27 


range  from  15  to  40  bushels,  with  nn  average  of  about  25  })ushels 
])er  acre.  Yiehls  of  other  crops,  the  methods  of  liandliiig  the  soil 
and  land  values  are  about  the  same  as  in  the  case  of  the  Grundy  silt 
loam. 

The  following  table  gives  the  results  of  mechanical  analyses  of 
samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Muscatine  silt  loam: 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Muscatine  silt  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

Silt. 

Clay. 

332419 

Soil 

Per  cent. 

0.2 

.1 

Per  cent. 

0.2 

.5 

Per  cent. 

0.3 

.9 

Per  cent. 
1.6 
4.2 

Per  cent. 
14.2 
17.9 

Per  cent. 
60.2 
53.6 

Per  cent. 
23.4 

332420          

Subsoil 

22.9 

MUSCATINE    SILTY    CLAY   LOAM. 


The  Muscatine  silty  clay  loam  has  a  surface  soil  of  black  silty 
clay  loam,  underlain  at  a  depth  of  10  inches  by  a  black  silty  clay, 
which  at  16  inches  becomes  tinged  with  gray  and  at  22  inches  changes 
to  light  gray  or  light  bluish  gray,  mottled  with  yellowish  brown: 
The  subsoil  becomes  heavier  textured  and  more  plastic  with  depth, 
and  at  about  32  inches  the  mottled  color  general!}^  gives  way  to 
uniform  gray.  With  the  exception  of  one  small  area  near  the 
headwaters  of  Johnny  Creek,  this  type  is  confined  to  the  eastern 
upland,  where  it  occurs  in  small  areas,  the  largest  of  which  is  proba- 
bly not  over  50  acres,  within  areas  of  the  Muscatine  silt  loam.  In 
most  places  it  occupies  level  fiats  on  drainage  divides,  but  in  a  few 
instances  occurs  in  low,  depressed  flats.  Natural  drainage  is  only 
poor  to  fair,  but,  owing  to  the  smallness  of  the  areas  and  the  near- 
ness to  slopes  and  hollows,  ditching  and  tiling  provides  good  drain- 
age. 

This  type  is  of  small  extent,  but  it  is  very  important  agriculturally. 
Except  for  the  substitution  of  winter  wheat  in  place  of  spring  wheat, 
the  crops,  yields,  cultural  methods,  and  land  values  are  the  same  as 
in  the  case  of  the  Grundy  silty  clay  loam.  The  same  suggestions 
should  be  adopted  for  the  improvement  of  farm  practices. 

Mechanical  analyses  of  samples  of  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Muscatine 
silty  clay  loam  gave  the  following  results : 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Muscatine  silty  clay  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 

sand. 

Medium 

sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

Silt. 

Clay. 

332421 

Soil 

Per  cent. 

0.0 

.0 

Per  cent. 

0.5 

.8 

Per  cent. 
0.3 
1.3 

Per  cent. 
4.2 
4.2 

Per  cent. 
11.0 
12.4 

Per  cent. 
63.4 
59.4 

Per  cent. 
20.6 

332422 

Subsoil 

21.6 



28  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   01    SOILS,   1918. 


CLINTON    SILT    LOAM. 


Clinton  silt  loam  consists  of  a  lij^ht-yellowish  or  grayisli-bro%vn  to 
buff,  velvety  silt  loam,  extending  to  a  depth  of  12  inches  and  under- 
lain by  a  moderately  friable  silty  clay  loam.  In  the  lower  subsoil 
a  very  faint  gray  mottling  is  sometimes  observed.  In  several  places 
particularly  in  the  vicinity  of  Bethel  Church,  numerous  patches,  too 
small  to  map  separately,  of  fine  sandy  loam  are  encountered.  In 
the  southeast  corner  of  sec.  15,  T.  75  N.,  R.  4  W.,  a  small  area  of 
the  type  occupies  a  rather  level  position  below  the  general  elevation 
of  the  upland  plain,  somewhat  resembling  a  terrace.  The  type  is 
derived  from  the  same  loess  formation  as  the  other  loessial  types, 
but  differs  from  them  in  physical  properties  and  in  topography. 
Owing  to  the  pronounced  surface  relief  and  the  consequent  better 
aeration,  the  subsoil  is  more  oxidized  and  unmottled,  while  the 
color  of  the  surface  soil  is  lighter,  owing  to  the  forest  growth,  which 
prevented  such  an  accumulation  of  organic  matter  as  character- 
izes most  of  the  prairie  soils.  The  type  is  locally  referred  to  as 
"mulatto"  soil. 

•  The  Clinton  silt  loam  is  well  distributed  over  both  the  east  and 
west  upland.  It  occurs  near  the  edge  of  the  bluffs  and  main  drain- 
age ways  of  recent  development,  where  the  draws  are  steep  and  V- 
shaped.  It  generally  occurs  between  the  Tama,  Grundy,  or  Musca- 
tine soils  and  the  Lindley,  terrace,  or  first-bottom  soils  in  an  irregu- 
lar strip,  varjrLng  from  a  fraction  of  a  mile  to  2  or  3  miles  in  width. 
Frequently  it  merges  gradually  with  the  Tama  silt  loam,  so  that 
the  division  between  the  two  types  is  rather  arbitrary.  This  is 
particularly  true  1^  and  2^  miles  north  of  Cotter. 

The  type  is  steeply  rolling  to  broken,  though  including  some  level 
areas  between  hollows,  and  is  well  drained.  It  is  quite  important 
agriculturally,  the  greater  part  being  in  cultivation  and  the  remainder, 
aside  from  that  used  for  lots  and  building  sites,  in  pasture,  generally 
woods  pasture.  All  of  the  type  was  originally  forested,  the  growth 
consisting  of  white  oak,  post  oak,  black  oak,  shagbark  hickory,  elm, 
ash,  hawthorn,  and  elderberry. 

This  soil  is  used  for  all  the  farm  crops  commonly  grown,  mainly 
wheat,  rye,  oats,  corn,  and  hay.  It  is  preeminently  a  wheat  soU,  as 
wheat  seems  to  be  better  adapted  to  it  than  any  other  crop.  Rye  is 
grown  more  extensively  than  on  any  other  upland  type.  Corn,  while 
quite  generally  grown,  does  not  yield  as  heavily  tis  on  the  other  dark- 
surfaced  upland  types.  The  different  branches  of  live-stock  farming 
are  fairly  well  developed  on  this  soil.  Corn  yields  25  to  50  bushels 
per  acre  with  an  average  of  35  bushels;  oats,  30  to  60  bushels,  with 
an  average  of  35  bushels;  hay,  one-half  ton  to  1^  tons,  averaging 
three-fourths  ton;  winter  wheat,  15  to  45  bushels,  averaging  about 
28   bushels;  spring   wheat,    10   to   40   bushels,    averaging   about  22 


SOIL  SITRVEY   OF  LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA. 


29 


bushels;  and  ryo,  10  to  25  bushels,  averaging  18  ])ushels.  Alfalfa 
does  quite  well,  and  yields  about  the  same  as  on  the  Grundy  silt  loam. 

Land  of  this  type  sells  at  prices  ranging  from  $75  to  $175  an  acre, 
and  averaging  about  $115  an  acre. 

Barnyard  manure  and  green-manure  crops  should  be  plowed  under 
whenever  practicable  in  order  that  the  humus  supply  may  be  built  up. 
Contour  plowing  on  slopes  will  reduce  soil  washing  and  tend  to  pre- 
vent the  forming  of  gullies.  The  more  general  sowing  of  alfalfa, 
which  is  grown  more  extensively  on  the  same  character  of  soil  in  other 
localities,  would  doubtless  prove  profitable  and  beneficial  to  the  soil. 

The  following  table  gives  the  results  of  mechanical  analyses  of 
samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Clinton  silt  loam: 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Clinton  silt  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

Silt. 

Clay. 

332417 

Soil.. 

Per  cent. 

0.1 

.3 

Per  cent. 

0.3 

.7 

Per  cent. 

0.2 

.4 

Percent. 
0.9 
2.0 

Per  cent. 
16.7 
12.7 

Per  cent. 
68.3 
58.8 

Per  cent. 
13.6 

332418 

Subsoil 

25.2 

TAMA    SILT   LOAM. 


The  Tama  silt  loam  is  a  dark-brown  silt  loam,  with  a  depth  of  14 
inches,  underlain  by  a  dark-brown  silt  loam  tinged  with  yellowish 
brown,  which  gradually  becomes  more  distinctly  yellowish  brown 
and  at  18  inches  changes  to  a  silty  clay  loam.  Frequently  dark- 
brown  to  black  concretions  occur  in  the  lower  su})soil.  In  a  few 
locations,  as  about  1  mile  east  of  Bethel  Chm'ch,  surface  wash  has 
caused  the  surface  soil  to  assume  the  texture  of  a  loam  or  fine  sandy 
loam,  but  these  areas  of  coarser  texture  are  too  small  to  map  sepa- 
rately. Along  depressions  within  the  areas  of  this  type  small  patches 
of  Grundy  sUt  loam  and  silty  clay  loam  frequently  occur. 

This  type  generally  occupies  strips  along  the  slopc^s  of  drainage 
channels,  intermediate  between  the  Grundy  or  Muscatine  and  the 
Clinton  or  Lindley.  Where  the  Clinton  and  Lindley  are  absent  it 
separates  the  fiat  upland  soils  from  the  first-bottom  or  terrace  soils. 
It  occurs  on  slopes  where  the  angle  is  such  as  to  permit  sufficient 
aeration  to  oxidize  the  subsoil  and  give  it  a  solid  yellowish -brown 
color  without  mottling,  but  where  the  encroachment  of  the  timber  has 
not  caused  the  surface  soil  to  have  a  light  color.  Both  as  to  position 
and  composition  the  type  may  be  said  to  be  intermediate  between  the 
Grundy  or  Muscatine  silt  loam  and  the  Clinton  silt  loam.  The  topog- 
raphy is  gently  rolling  to  rolling,  and  drainage  is  well  established. 

Although  not  as  extensive  as  the  Grundy,  Muscatine,  and  Clinton 
sUt  loams,  the  Tama  silt  loam  is  of  considerable  importance  agricul- 


30 


FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 


turally,  as  almost  all  of  it  is  in  cultivation.  Like  the  Grundy  silt 
loam,  it  is  essentially  a  corn  soil.  Other  principal  crops  are  oats, 
hay,  and  wheat.  Corn  3'ields  30  to  70  bushels,  averaging  40  bushels, 
per  acre;  oats,  30  to  70  bushels,  averaging  45  bushels;  hay,  three- 
fourths  ton  to  If  tons,  averaging  1|  tons;  winter  wheat,  15  to  42 
bushels,  averaging  26  bushels;  spring  wheat,  10  to  40  bushels,  aver- 
aging 23  bushels;  and  rye,  10  to  25  bushels,  averaging  15  bushels. 
No  special  industry  is  engaged  in  on  this  type. 

This  land  ranges  in  price  from  SI 35  to  S250  an  acre,  with  an 
average  of  about  $165  an  acre. 

The  following  table  gives  the  results  of  mechanical  analyses  of 
samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Tama  silt  loam: 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Tama  silt  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Mediiun 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

Silt. 

Clay. 

332453 

Soil 

Per  cent. 

0.1 

.0 

Per  cent. 

0.7 

.6 

Per  cent. 

0.4 

.4 

Per  cent. 
1.5 
2.4 

Per  cent. 
17.0 
13.4 

Per  cent. 
63.1 
65.4 

Percent. 
17.1 

332454 

Subsoil 

17.9 

KNOX    PINE    SAND. 


The  typical  Knox  fine  sand  is  a  brown  fine  sand  throughout  the 
3-foot  section.  There  is  no  sharp  line  of  distinction  between  surface 
soil  and  subsoil,  but  a  slightly  yellowish  cast  appears  with  depth. 

This  soil  includes  a  greater  range  in  variation  than  any  other  in  the 
county.  In  some  places  the  surface  soil  is  distinctly  grayish  brown 
when  dry.  The  type  includes  small  patches  where  the  surface  texture 
is  a  medium  sand,  while  in  other  places  the  surface  texture  may  be  a 
very  fine  sand,  or  may  approximate  closely  a  loam.  In  these  latter 
variations  the  subsoil  is  usually  of  the  same  texture  as  the  surface  soil, 
and  yellowish  to  yellowish  brown  in  color.  The  type  is  supposed  to  be 
derived  from  material  blown  up  by  the  wind  to  its  present  position. 

This  type  is  confined  to  rather  narrow  ridges  along  the  western 
edge  of  the  eastern  upland  with  the  exception  of  a  small  area  lying 
partly  in  sec.  4  and  partly  in  sec.  9,  T.  75  N.,  R.  4  W.,  on  the  crest  of 
a  broad  ridge  projecting  above  the  general  elevation  of  the  rest  of 
the  upland  and  lying  3  V  miles  back  from  the  edge  of  the  upland.  The 
type  is  most  typically  developed  2  miles  directly  north  of  Wapello, 
The  area  1  mile  northwest  of  the  one  just  mentioned  has  a  more 
grayish  color,  and  the  soil  seems  to  be  shifted  about  by  the  wind  at 
the  present  time.  The  same  is  true  of  a  considerable  part  of  the 
two  areas  in  the  vicinity  of  Sandy  Grove  School  northeast  of  Fredonia. 
The  area  If  miles  east  of  Wapello  occupies  a  ridge  and  is  a  very  fine 
sand  in  texture. 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   LOUISA   COUNTY,    IOWA.  31 

Drainage  of  the  Knox  fine  sand  is  amplo  or  excessive.  Owing  to 
the  great  porosity  of  the  subsoil,  crops  are  apt  to  be  afTectcd  by 
droughty  periods. 

The  total  extent  of  the  type  is  small,  and,  as  less  than  half  of  it  is 
cultivated,  its  agricultural  importance  is  slight.  The  uncultivated 
parts,  where  the  surface  is  more  or  less  shifted  by  the  wind  from  year 
to  year,  support  practically  no  vegetation  aside  from  sandbur  and 
are  practically  wortliless.  A  small  part  of  the  uncultivated  land  is 
forested  with  black  oak  and  post  oak.  On  the  cultivated  areas  of 
the  type,  corn,  rye,  and  truck  are  the  principal  crops.  Rye  is  the 
best  adapted  of  the  grain  crops  to  such  sandy  land  as  this.  For  best 
results  on  this  type,  it  is  suggested  that  it  be  used  chiefly  for  rye  and 
truck  crops  and  that  winter  cover  crops  be  sown  to  prevent  drifting 
as  far  as  possible. 

Probably  no  farm  occurs  wholly  on  this  type,  but  its  selling  price 
is  estimated  to  range  from  $40  to  $100  an  acre. 

PUTNAM    SILT  LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Putnam  silt  loam  is  a  dark  gravish  brown 
silt  loam  extending  to  a  depth  of  6  inches,  and  underlain  by  a  gray  to 
grayish-brown,  silty  layer,  which  is  usually  very  dry  and  powdery. 
The  silty  layer  extends  to  a  depth  of  12  inches,  and  is  underlain  by 
very  compact,  yellowish-brown  silty  clay  loam  which  passes  at  about 
26  inches  into  a  gray  compact  silty  clay  loam  mottled  with  rusty 
brown  and  to  a  lesser  extent  with  yellowish  brown. 

The  Putnam  silt  loam  occurs  in  small  areas  between  the  Clinton  silt 
loam  and  the  Grundy  or  Muscatine  silt  loams,  and  generally  occupies 
positions  at  the  heads  of  drainage  courses.  Some  patches  of  this 
type  too  small  to  map  separately  are  included  with  the  Grundy  and 
Muscatine  silt  loams.  Surface  drainage  is  generally  fair,  though 
underdrainage,  owing  to  the  impervious  subsoil  layer,  is  naturally 
poor. 

Probably  no  field  occurs  exclusively  on  this  type,  though  practically 
all  of  it  is  in  cultivation.  It  is  handled  and  cropped  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  Grundy  or  Muscatine  silt  loams,  and  is  best  adapted 
to  the  same  crops,  though  it  produces  slightly  lower  yields.  It  is 
probable  that  on  the  average  the  price  of  land  of  this  type  is  about 
one-third  less  than  that  of  the  Grundy  silt  loam, 

LINDLEY    SILT   LOAM, 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Lindley  silt  loam  is  a  light  yellowish  brown 
silt  loam  extending  to  a  depth  of  10  inches.  The  top  2  to  3  inches  is 
sometimes  dark  brown.  The  subsoil  to  a  depth  of  20  inches  is  a 
brown  silt  loam  to  loam,  wdth  a  reddish  cast,  underlain  by  a  gritty 
silty  clay  of  the  same  color.     Scattered  throughout  the  3-foot  sec- 


32 


FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU    OF   SOILS,   1918. 


tion  are  pebbles  and  small  bowlders,  of  chert,  quartz,  limestone, 
limonite,  granite,  granite  gneiss,  and  dolomite,  such  coarse  material 
constituting  between  5  and  10  per  cent  of  the  soil  mass. 

This  type  occupies  steep  slopes  leading  to  the  Iowa  and  Mississippi 
River  valleys,  in  the  latter  occurring  in  a  very  irregular  strip.  It 
lies  between  the  first  bottom  or  terrace  soils  and  the  Clinton  silt  loam, 
or,  where  the  Clinton  is  absent,  between  the  first-bottom  or  terrace 
soils  and  the  Tama,  Grundy,  or  Muscatine  silt  loam.  The  topography 
is  steeply  rolling  to  broken,  and  the  run-off  is  generally  excessive, 
causing  washing  and  gullying. 

Approximately  one-fourth  of  the  type  is  in  cultivation,  the  re- 
mainder being  in  pasture,  generally  woods  pasture.  All  the  type 
is  naturally  forested  with  black  oak  and  shagbark  hickory. 

Where  the  slope  is  sufficiently  gentle  to  permit  cultivation,  this 
soil  is  farmed  in  practically  the  same  manner  as  the  Clinton  silt  loam. 
Since  so  great  a  proportion  of  the  type  is  used  for  pasture,  it  is  proba- 
ble that  live-stock  farming  is  better  developed,  relatively,  than  for 
the  county  as  a  whole. 

Land  of  this  type  ranges  in  selling  value  from  $60  to  $150  an  acre, 
with  an  average  of  about  $80. 

Below  are  given  the  results  of  mechanical  analyses  of  samples  of 
the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Lindley  silt  loam; 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Lindley  silt  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

Silt. 

Clay. 

332413 

Soil 

Per  cent. 
0.4 
2.9 

Per  cent. 
1.6 
8.5 

Per  cent. 
1.4 
10.1 

Per  cent. 
9.4 
24.5 

Per  cent. 

13.4 

7.6 

Per  cent. 
59.2 
23.6 

Per  rint. 
15.0 

332416 

Subsoil 

22.6 

BEEMER   SILT   LOAM. 


The  Bremer  silt  loam  consists  of  a  dark-brown  to  black  silt  loam, 
with  an  average  depth  of  10  inches,  underlain  by  a  dark-brown  to 
black  silty  clay  loam,  which  at  about  18  inches  becomes  slightly 
mottled  with  rusty  brown  and  soon  passes  into  a  dark  bluish  gray 
silty  clay,  mottled  with  rusty  brown.  At  30  to  32  inches  the  subsoil 
becomes  light  gray  mottled  with  yellowish  brown  and  rusty  brown, 
and  contains  some  dark-brown  or  black  and  yellow  concretionary 
material. 

Locally  there  is  some  variation  in  the  type.  Occasionally  a  gray 
layer  is  encountered  between  the  surface  soil  and  subsoil,  similar  to 
that  in  the  Calhoun  series,  from  which  the  Bremer  differs  in  the  Hark 
color  of  the  surface  soil.  This  gray  color  doubtless  has  been  caused 
by  poor  drainage  in  these  particular  locations.     In  one  or  two  places, 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF   LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA,  33 

as  the  southeast  corner  of  sec.  18,  T.  74  N.,  R.  3  W.,  a  layer  of  coarse 
gray  sand  is  observed  between  the  silt  loam  surface  layer  and  the 
silty  clay  su*bsoil.  Along  the  county  ditch  in  sees.  32  and  33,  T.  74 
N.,  R.  3  W.,  a  small  strip  of  the  type  is  mapped  within  an  area  of 
Bremer  silty  clay  loam.  This  has  been  formed  within  the  last  few 
years  by  overflow  from  a  very  small  ditch  that  was  constructed  to 
carry  the  water  from  an  upland  creek  and  was  too  small  for  the 
purpose. 

The  Bremer  silt  loam  occurs  on  the  level  terraces,  usually  nearer 
the  upland  than  the  first  bottom.  It  is  the  best  drained,  naturally, 
of  the  Bremer  soils,  and  tiling  and  ditching  in  most  places  have  rem- 
edied any  defect  in  drainage. 

The  total  extent  of  the  type  is  not  great,  but  most  of  it  is  in  culti- 
vation, the  remainder,  excluding  that  used  for  building  sites  and 
farm  lots,  being  in  pasture.  Corn  is  the  principal  crop,  followed  by 
oats,  hay,  and  wheat.  Corn  yields  range  from  30  to  75  ])ushels, 
with  an  average  of  45  bushels,  per  acre;  oats  yield  35  to  80  bushels, 
with  an  average  of  50  bushels;  hay  1  to  If  tons,  with  an  average  of 
1|  tons ;  and  winter  wheat  from  10  to  40  bushels,  averaging  25  bushels. 

Land  of  this  type  sells  for  $145  to  $220  an  acre,  with  an  average 
of  about  $160  an  acre. 

The  soil  is  farmed  under  the  ordinary  methods  prevailing  through- 
out the  country.  The  usual  number  of  live  stock  is  kept.  Like  the 
other  types  of  the  series  it  could  be  improved  by  the  more  extensive 
use  of  lime,  the  growing  of  legumes,  and  deep  plowing. 

BREMER    SILTY   CLAY    LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Bremer  silty  clay  loam  is  a  black  silty  clay 
loam  extending  to  a  depth  of  15  inches,  underlain  by  a  dark-brown 
very  heavy  silty  clay  loam  to  silty  clay.  This  passes  into  a  typical 
silty  clay,  dark  brown  in  color,  but  mottled  with  brownish  yellow 
and  bluish  gray.  The  dark  brown  soon  disappears  and  the  bluish 
gray  becomes  lighter  and  more  predominant  with  depth.  Iron 
concretions  are  generally  found  in  the  lower  subsoil,  which  is  very 
heavy  and  plastic.  A  few  small  patches  where  the  surface  has  been 
overlain  with  sand  to  a  depth  of  2  to  3  inches  are  included  with  the 
type.  Both  this  soil  and  the  Bremer  clay  are  known  to  some  farmers 
as  "gumbo''  and  to  others  as  "black  muck." 

The  type  occurs  on  the  terraces  near  the  upland  bluff.  It  usualh^ 
adjoins  one  of  the  other  Bremer  types,  or  the  Buckncr  loam,  Wau- 
kesha silt  loam,  or  Lindley  silt  loam.  The  type  has  a  level  surface 
and  lies  slightly  lower  than  the  surrounding  soil,  unless  the  latter 
happens  to  be  the  Bremer  clay.  Drainage  is  naturally  poor,  but  can 
be  improved  artificially. 


34 


FIELD  OPERATIONS   OF  THE  BUREAU  OF   SOILS,  1918. 


This  type  is  not  of  great  extent,  but  it  is  very  productive.  The 
greater  part  is  in  cultivation,  but  a  considerable  area  is  in  pasture, 
probably  because  so  many  of  the  farmers  are  engaged  in  cattle 
raising  and  feeding.  The  type  is  preeminently  a  corn  soil,  oats,  hay, 
and  winter  wheat  being  the  other  main  crops.  Corn  yields  average 
slightly  higher  than  on  the  Bremer  silt  loam,  while  oats,  hay,  and 
wheat  give  about  the  same  yields. 

The  selling  price  of  land  of  this  type  ranges  from  $135  to  $220 
an  acre,  with  an  average  of  about  $140.  The  price  depends  on  the 
improvements,  particularly  in  drainage,  and  the  nearness  to  towns 
and  transportation  lines. 

The  following  table  gives  the  results  of  mechanical  analyses  of 
samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  Bremer  silty  clay  loam: 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Bremer  silty  clay  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 

gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

Silt. 

Clay. 

332401 

Soil     

Per  cent. 
0.1 
.3 

Per  cent. 
0.8 
2.0 

Per  cent. 
0.4 
2.3 

Per  cent. 
3.7 
6.8 

Per  cent. 
4.0 
12.9 

Per  cent. 
59.7 
56.8 

Per  cent. 
21.3 
19.0 

332402 

Subsoil 

BREMER   CLAY. 


The  Bremer  clay  has  a  surface  soil  of  black  silty  clay  to  clay, 
tough  and  plastic  in  nature,  extending  to  a  depth  of  13  inches,  and 
underlain  by  a  black  clay  faintly  mottled  with  yellowish  brown. 
This  soon  changes  to  black  tinged  with  dark  bluish  gray.  At  about 
24  inches  there  is  reached  a  dark  bluish  gray  clay,  mottled  with 
rusty  brown  to  yellowish  brown,  and  this  continues  to  the  bottom 
of  the  3-foot  section,  bluish  gray  predominating. 

The  type  occurs  on  the  terraces,  above  overflow,  near  the  upland 
bluff.  Like  the  Bremer  silty  clay  loam  which  it  blosely  resembles 
except  for  its  heavier  surface  soil,  it  occupies  level  areas  generally 
depressed  below  the  surrounding  terrace  types.  It  is  naturally 
rather  poorly  drained  and  requires  tiling  and  ditching  for  best  results 
under  cultivation.  In  tiling  both  this  type  and  the  Bremer  silty 
clay  loam,  it  is  a  common  practice  to  place  gravel  or  trash  over  the 
tile  in  order  to  make  the  latter  draw  well.  In  ponds,  a  catch  basin 
draining  into  the  tile  is  generally  put  in. 

The  Bremer  clay  is  the  least  extensive  of  the  three  Bremer  soils. 
Its  crop  adaptations  and  yields  are  like  those  of  the  Bremer  silty  clay 
loam,  and  land  values  are  practically  the  same. 

Both  types  are  inclinc^d  to  stick  to  cultural  implements  when  wet, 
and  to  bake  and  clod  if  worked  when  too  wet.  The  use  of  lime  and 
the  incorporation  of  all  the  organic  matter  possible  are  methods 
suggested  for  the  loosening  up  and  aerating  of  the  soil. 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA.  35 


BUCKNER   SAND. 


The  Buckner  sand  tliroughout  the  3-foot  sortion  is  a  brown, 
medium  sand,  gra^nsh  brown  when  dry.  The  only  chango  in  the 
3-foot  section  is  a  tendency  toward  a  shghtly  hghter  color  in  the 
lower  part.  In  some  places  the  soil  is  rather  loamy,  and  much  of  it 
has  considerable  fine  interstitial  material,  though  not  enough  to 
change  the  texture. 

This  is  a  terrace  t\pe,  lying  above  overflow.  It  occurs  to  some  ex- 
tent about  4  miles  north  of  Colum])us  Junction,  but  its  princi]ml  occur- 
rence is  on  the  Great  Sand  Mound  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  the 
county.  iVlong  the  eastern  slope  of  the  mound  there  is  a  consider- 
able acreage  (approximately  60  acres)  in  which  the  soil  is  looser  than 
typical  and  gives  evidence  of  being  sliifted  from  year  to  year  more 
than  the  remainder,  though  all  of  it  is  likely  to  blow  to  some  extent. 
The  surface  here  has  a  considerably  lighter  appearance,  owing,  in 
part  at  least,  to  the  fact  that  it  supports  no  vegetation. 

The  topography  of  the  Buckner  sand  is  level  or  gently  rolling. 
Drainage  is  ample,  the  greater  part  of  the  rain  water  sinking  into  the 
ground  where  it  falls.  Owing  to  the  porosity,  the  type  is  easily 
affected  by  drought. 

Of  the  part  of  the  type  that  occurs  on  the  Great  Sand  Mound  over 
half  is  not  cultivated.  Some  areas  now  unused  may  have  been  in 
cultivation  previously  and  abandoned  on  account  of  the  blowing  of 
sand  or  unprofitable  yields.  The  part  in  cultivation  is  principally 
devoted  to  corn.  The  type  elsewhere  in  the  county  is  nearly  all  in 
cultivation,  the  chief  crops  being  corn,  rye,  and  truck.  Corn  ranges 
in  yield  from  15  to  35  bushels,  averaging  20  bushels  per  acre. 

While  some  of  the  land  on  the  eastern  slope  is  practical!}^  worth- 
less, in  general  the  land  of  this  type  brings  an  average  price  of  $65 
an  acre. 

For  the  improvement  of  the  Buckner  sand  it  is  necessary  to  add  all 
the  organic  matter  possible  by  the  use  of  barnyard  manure  and  the 
turning  under  of  green  manures.  The  growing  of  winter  cover  crops 
will  materially  assist  in  pr(^^  enting  drifting. 


BUCKNEK    FINE    SAND. 


The  Buckner  fine  sand  is  a  brown  fine  sand,  with  a  grayish  tinge 
when  dry.  The  only  change  throughout  the  o-foot  section  is  a 
slightly  lighter  color  with  more  of  a  3'ellowish-brown  tinge  below  28 
inches.  The  type  is  subject  to  drifting  before  the  wind  to  a  certain 
extent. 

This  soil  occurs  on  the  terraces  of  the  Iowa  River,  generaU}  near 
the  first  bottom,  though  in  a  few  instances  it  is  mapped  on  low  ridges 
near  the  upland  north  and  northeast  of  Fredonia.     It  occurs  in  rather 


36  FIELD  OPERATIONS   OF  THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1918. 

small  areas,  and  is  generall}'  surrounded  by  Buckner  fine  sandy  loam. 
The  topography  is  undulating  and  drainage  is  adequate.  Owing  to  the 
porosity  of  the  entire  3-foot  section  and  the  substratum,  crops  are 
apt  to  be  affected  by  drought. 

The  total  extent  of  the  type  is  not  great,  and  it  is  not  very  produc- 
tive. I\ one  of  it  is  forested.  The  greater  part  of  the  type  is  in  culti- 
vation, mainly  to  corn  and  rye.  One  or  two  small  areas  are  devoted 
to  growing  catalpa  trees  for  fence  posts.  Corn  yields  range  from  20  to 
35  bushels,  averaging  25  bushels,  per  acre,  and  yields  of  rye  from  5  to 
20  bushels,  aA^eraging  10  bushels. 

While  no  farm  lies  wholly  on  this  type,  it  is  estimated  that  the 
price  ranges  from  $60  to  $140,  with  an  average  of  $90  an  acre. 

The  use  of  barnyard  manure,  the  turning  under  of  green-manure 
crops,  and  the  use  of  winter  cover  crops  are  recommended  for  the 
improvement  of  this  type. 

BUCKNER  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

The  Buckner  fine  sandy  loam  is  a  brown  fine  sandy  loam  through- 
out the  3-foot  section,  except  for  a  slightly  lighter  and  more  yellowish- 
brown  color  and  a  very  slightly  coarser  (though  still  a  fine  sandy 
loam)  texture  below  30  to  32  inches.  The  3-foot  section  is  very 
uniform  wherever  the  type  occurs  in  this  county,  except  that  two 
or  three  sandy  loam  areas  are  included  on  account  of  their  small 
total  extent.  A  few  swales  occupied  by  the  Bremer  silt  loam,  silty 
clay  loam,  or  Buckner  loam  also  are  included. 

This  type  occurs  in  numerous  relatively  small  areas  near  the  mar- 
gin of  the  terraces  adjoining  the  first  bottom  in  the  Iowa  River  Val- 
ley. One  area,  comprising  about  40  acres,  is  mapped  on  the  Great 
Sand  Mound,  where  it  is  surrounded  by  Buckner  sand.  Generally 
the  type  adjoins  the  Buckner  fine  sand,  Buckner  loam,  Waukesha 
silt  loam,  or  Bremer  silt  loam.  In  the  latter  two  cases  it  generally 
occupies  a  ridge  at  a  slight  elevation  above  the  surrounding  type. 
The  topography  is  level  to  undulating,  and  drainage  is  adequate. 

The  total  extent  of  the  Buckner  fine  sandy  loam  is  small,  though 
it  is  a  fairly  valuable  soil.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Wapello 
some  of  the  type  is  used  for  the  production  of  beans  and  sweet  corn, 
but  elsewhere  it  is  devoted  to  the  general  farm  crops.  Owing  to  its 
relatively  coarse  texture,  the  type  is  seldom  used  in  the  production 
of  hay.  The  farms  which  include  it  have  pasture  and  meadow  on 
other  soils.  Corn  ranges  in  yield  from  25  to  40  bushels,  averaging 
30  bushels,  per  acre;  oats  from  20  to  50  bushels,  averaging  30  bush- 
els; winter  wheat  10  to  25  bushels,  averaging  20  bushels;  and  rye 
8  to  23  bushels,  averaging  12  bushels. 

Land  of  this  type  sells  for  $115  to  $180  an  acre,  with  an  average 
of  $125. 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   LOUISA    CJOUNTY,   IOWA. 


37 


Results  of  mechanical  analyses  of  samples  of  the  soil  and  subsoil 
of  the  Buckncr  fine  sandy  loam  are  given  below: 

Mechanical  analyses  of  Buckner  fine  sandy  loam. 


Number. 

Description. 

Fine 
gravel. 

Coarse 
sand. 

Medium 
sand. 

Fine 
sand. 

Very  fine 
sand. 

Sill. 

Clay. 

332409 

Soil 

Per  cent. 

0.1 

.1 

Per  cent. 
4.4 
4.1 

Per  cent. 
12.8 
11.5 

Per  cent. 
56.0 
56.8 

Per  cent. 
12.6 
14.0 

Per  cent. 
2.6 
7.3 

Per  cent. 

11.5 

332410 1  Subsoil 

0.1 

BUCKNER   LOAM. 


The  surface  soil  of  the  Buckner  loam  is  a  brown  to  dark-brown, 
moderately  friable  loam,  14  inches  deep,  underlain  by  a  brown  to 
dark-brown  loam  to  fine  sandy  loam  which  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
3-foot  section  is  slightly  coarser  textured  and  lighter  colored.  Ordi- 
narily there  is  no  sharp  line  of  distinction  between  the  surface  soil 
and  subsoil,  though  in  a  few  small  spots  the  subsoil  is  a  gray  fine 
sand  or  coarse  sand,  mottled  with  yellow. 

Tliis  type  occurs  in  numerous  areas  of  varying  size,  scattered  over 
the  terraces  adjoining  the  Iowa  River  bottoms.  The  topography  is 
level  to  undulating,  and  the  drainage  good. 

This  is  the  second  most  extensive  of  the  Buckner  soils,  and  is  con- 
sidered a  good  terrace  soil.  Corn,  oats,  hay,  wheat,  and  rye  are  grown. 
Under  the  prevailing  farming  methods  corn  yields  30  to  70  bushels 
per  acre,  averaging  40  bushels;  oats  30  to  70  bushels,  averaging  45 
bushels;  hay  three-fourths  ton  to  If  tons,  averaging  1}  tons;  winter 
wheat  10  to  38  bushels,  averaging  23  bushels;  and  rye  8  to  23  bushels, 
averaging  15  bushels. 

Land  of  this  type  sells  for  $135  to  S210  an  acre,  averaging  $150 
an  acre. 


BUCKNER    SILT    LOAM. 


The  surface  soil  of  the  Buckner  silt  loam  is  a  dark-brown  friable 
silt  loam,  in  many  places  high  in  organic  matter  and  occasionally 
slightly  gritty.  At  a  depth  of  about  11  inches  it  is  underlain  by  a 
brown  very  fine  sandy  loam,  which  soon  changes  to  grayish  brown 
mottled  with  yellow.  Below  24  inches  the  color  becomes  light  gray, 
mottled  with  yellow  to  yellowish  brown,  and  below  30  inches  the 
texture  changes  to  a  fine  sandy  loam.  In  some  places  the  color  and 
texture  of  the  subsoil  vary  from  typical. 

Only  a  few  small  areas  of  this  type  are  mapped.  It  occurs  in  asso- 
ciation with  the  other  Buckner  soils.  The  topography  is  level,  but 
the  drainage  is  good.  The  soil  is  farmed  in  the  same  w^ay  as  the 
Buckner  loam,  and  produces  practically  the  same  yields. 


38  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

Buckner  silt  loam,  coUuvial  pTiase. — ^The  Buckner  silt  loam,  col- 
liivial  phase,  is  a  dark-brown  silt  loam,  with  a  depth  of  18  inches, 
underlain  by  a  dark-brown,  heavy  silt  loam  to  silty  clay  loam,  tinged 
with  brown,  soon  changing  to  a  distinctly  brown  slightly  mottled  with 
rusty  bro\vn.  The  surface  material  is  moderately  friable.  The  phase 
as  mapped  includes  areas  of  considerable  extent  where  the  texture 
of  both  surface  soil  and  subsoil  is  a  loam. 

This  phase  occurs  on  moderate  colluvial  slopes  between  the  upland 
bluffs  and  the  terrace  or  first  bottom.  The  soil  has  been  deposited 
in  its  present  position  by  gravity  and  washing  from  the  slopes. 
Although  the  slopes  are  gentle,  care  is  necessary  in  places  to  prevent 
erosion  and  gullying  by  water  coming  from  the  bluffs. 

The  greater  part  of  the  phase  is  in  cultivation,  being  devoted  to 
the  common  crops.  It  is  chiefly  adapted  to  the  production  of  corn, 
the  other  main  crops  being  oats  and  wheat.  Corn  yields  30  to  70 
bushels,  averaging  40  bushels,  per  acre;  oats  30  to  70  bushels,  aver- 
aging 45  bushels;  and  winter  wheat  10  to  40  bushels,  averaging  25 
bushels. 

While  no  farm  consists  exclusively  of  this  phase,  it  is  estimated  to 
be  valued  at  $125  to  S200,  with  an  average  of  S140  an  acre. 

For  the  improvement  of  this  soil  organic  matter  should  be  added 
to  the  especially  loamy  spots.  Where  there  is  a  tendency  to  erode 
diversion  channels  should  be  cut  or  contour  plowing  practiced. 

WAUKESHA    SILT    LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Waukesha  silt  loam  is  a  dark-brown,  friable 
silt  loam  with  a  depth  of  12  inches,  underlain  by  a  dark-brown  silty 
clay  loam  which  passes  at  18  to  20  inches  into  a  yellowish-brown, 
moderatel}^  friable  silty  clay  loam.  In  some  places  the  surface  soil 
is  slightly  deeper.  A  few  areas,  too  small  to  map  separately,  have 
a  loam  surface  soil  and  a  subsoil  of  grayish-browTi  sandy  clay  or 
silty  clay  loam  to  silty  clay  with  considerable  medium  to  coarse 
sand.  Some  of  the  patches  having  a  loam  surface  soil  have  the 
typical  yellowish-brown  silty  clay  loam  subsoil.  Some  areas  of  Cal- 
houn silt  loam,  too  small  to  map  separately,  also  are  included.  On 
the  Wapello  Prairie  west  of  Wapello  the  Waukesha  silt  loam  and 
the  Bremer  silt  loam  grade  together  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make 
the  location  of  the  separating  boundary  very  arbitrary. 

The  Waukesha  silt  loam  occurs  in  areas  of  varying  size,  many  of 
them  quite  large,  on  the  Iowa  River  terraces,  where  it  is  the  most 
extensive  type.  It  generally  adjoins  the  Buckner  loam,  Bremer  silt 
loam  or  silty  clay  loam,  or  Lindley  silt  loam.  The  topography  is 
level,  but  the  drainage  is  good. 

The  Waukesha  silt  loam  is  one  of  the  most,  if  not  the  most,  valuable 
of  the  terrace  types.  None  of  it  was  originally  forested.  The  greater 
part  is  in  cultivation,  the  remainder  being  used  for  farmstead  sites 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA.  39 

and  pastures.  The  type  is  preeminently  adapted  to  the  production 
of  corn.  The  other  leading  crops  are  oats,  hay,  and  wheat.  The 
different  branches  of  live-stock  farming  are  fairly  well  developed. 
Corn  yields  30  to  70  bushels,  averaging  40  bushels,  per  acre;  oats, 
30  to  70  bushels,  averaging  45  bushels;  hay,  tbree-fourths  ton  to  If 
tons,  averaging  1}  tons;  and  winter  wheat,  10  to  40  bushels,  aver- 
aging 25  busliels. 

Land  of  this  type  sells  for  $140  to  $250  an  acre,  averaging  about 
$175. 

CALHOUN   SILT   LOAM. 

The  Calhoun  silt  loam  is  a  brown  to  grayish-brown  silt  loam,  10 
inches  deep,  underlain  to  16  inches  by  a  gray  silt  loam  sometimes 
tmged  with  brown.  This  passes  abruptly  into  a  dark-brown  silty 
clay  loam,  mottled  slightly  with  yellowish-brown,  whicli  is  underlain 
by  a  dark  yellowish  brown,  heavy  plastic,  impervious  silty  clay  to 
clay,  mottled  with  bluish  gray.  In  places  the  heavy  subsoil,  which 
is  locally  known  as  hardpan,  is  pale  greenish  gray  to  grayish  brown 
in  color.  In  one  or  two  patches  near  the  margin  of  the  terrace  the 
surface  soil  has  been  largely  removed  by  erosion  and  the  heavy 
stratum  lies  close  to  the  surface. 

The  Calhoun  silt  loam  occurs  at,  or  near,  the  marghi  of  the  Iowa 
River  terraces,  in  relatively  small  areas.  It  also  borders  the  lower 
course  of  Long  Creek.  The  topography  is  level,  and  there  is  evi- 
dence that  the  areas  were  once  poorly  drained,  though  at  present, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  small  patches,  the  di*ainage  is  fair  or  good. 
The  extent  of  this  type  is  small,  and  it  is  of  comparatively  little  im- 
portance. About  half  of  it  is  cultivated.  It  seems  to  be  naturally 
forested  with  post  oak,  black  oak,  and  hickory,  though  only  a  part 
of  the  uncultivated  land  is  wooded  at  present.  All  the  untilled 
land  is  used  for  pasture.  The  type  is  handled  and  cropped  in  the 
same  general  manner  as  the  Waukesha  silt  loam,  though  care  must 
be  taken  not  to  plow  it  when  too  wet,  since  this  causes  baking  and 
clodding.  The  principal  crops  grown  are  com,  oats,  and  rye.  Corn 
yields  20  to  40  bushels  per  acre,  averaging  about  30  bushels;  oats 
15  to  50  bushels,  averagmg  30  bushels;  and  rye  5  to  20  bushels, 
averaging  about  10  bushels. 

While  no  farms  occur  exclusively  on  this  type,  the  selling  price  is 
estimated  to  range  from  $60  to  $150  an  acre,  averaging  about  $95, 

For  the  improvement  of  this  type  deep  plowing  and  the  incorpora- 
tion of  organic  matter  are  suggested, 

WABASH    LOAM. 

The  Wabash  loam,  in  different  parts  of  the  area,  has  a  rather  wide 
range  in  the  character  of  the  surface  soil,  particularly  in  texture. 
The  type  is  usually  a  grayish-brown  to  dark-brown  loam  to  silt  loam 
to  a  depth  of  about  12  inches,  underlain  by  a  brown  to  yello\\'ish- 


40  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918, 

hrown,  heavy  silt  loam  to  silty  clay  loam.  The  surface  soil  is  uni- 
formly mellow  and  friable,  and  the  subsoil  is  seldom  more  than 
semiplastic.  In  some  places  in  the  river  bottoms  and  generally  in  the 
small  stream  bottoms  the  brown  to  yellowish-brown  color  in  the  subsoil 
is  replaced  by  dark  brown  to  black,  which  in  the  lower  subsoil  may  be 
mottled  slightly  with  bluish  gray,  rusty  brown,  and  brown.  Dark- 
bro^^^l  concretionary  material  may  be  present.  In  a  few  places, 
particularly  about  If  miles  northwest  of  Port  Louisa,  a  small  area 
has  been  covered  with  a  sandy  wash  from  a  stream  whose  channel 
has  become  choked.  In  a  few  very  small  spots  the  subsoil  is  seen 
to  have  a  distinctly  reddish  cast. 

This  type  occurs  in  the  first  bottoms  of  the  Mississippi  and  Iowa 
Rivers  in  areas  of  varying  shape  and  size.  With  the  exception  of  a 
small  area  which  is  Wabash  silty  clay  loam,  it  is  the  only  type  mapped 
in  the  small  stream  bottoms.  Here  it  has  a  more  silty  soil  and  con- 
tains many  areas  of  silt  loam. 

The  type  is  naturally  well  drained,  except  for  overflows  where  it  is 
not  protected  by  levees.  It  is  said  that  a  few  places  in  the  Iowa 
River  bottoms  did  not  overflow  even  before  the  construction  of  levees 
or  when  the  levees  were  broken,  but  they  lie  so  little  above  the 
remamder  of  the  type  that  no  separation  has  been  attempted. 

The  Wabash  loam  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  important  of 
the  bottom-land  types.  In  some  of  the  larger  creek  bottoms  it  is  cul- 
tivated, as  overflows  generally  do  not  occur  during  the  growing  season. 
The  rest  of  the  type  in  the  small  stream  bottoms  is  left  in  pasture. 
In  the  river  bottoms  the  type  is  practically  all  in  cultivation.  Corn 
is  the  chief  crop,  the  type  being  preeminently  adapted  to  its  produc- 
tion. Other  main  crops  are  oats,  wheat,  and  hay.  Corn  yields 
35  to  75  bushels  per  acre,  averaging  about  45  bushels;  oats  35  to  75 
bushels,  averaging  45  bushels;  winter  wheat  15  to  40  bushels,  aver- 
aging 25  bushels;  and  hay  three-fourths  ton  to  2  tons,  averaging 
li  tons.  Where  the  type  occurs  in  the  river  bottoms  it  supports 
almost  no  stock  farming. 

This  type  has  a  considerable  range  in  value.  In  the  small  stream 
bottoms  no  farm  occurs  wholly  on  it,  and  an  allowance  in  the  farm's 
valuation  is  doubtless  made  for  the  land  subject  to  overflow.  In 
the  river  bottoms,  where  protected  from  overflow,  it  is  very  produc- 
tive and  is  highly  valued.  It  sells  at  prices  ranging  from  $75  to 
$275  an  acre,  depending  on  the  protection  from  overflow  and  the 
other  common  factors  influencing  land  values. 

WABASH   SILTY  CLAY  LOAM. 

The  Wabash  silty  clay  loam  is  a  black  silty  clay  loam,  with  a 
depth  of  12  inches,  underlain  by  a  dark-brown  to  black  silty  clay 
loam,  mottled  with  bluish  gray  and  yellowish  brown,  which  at  20 


SOIL   SURVEY   OF   LOUISA    (BOUNTY,    IOWA.  41 

inches  passes  into  a  silty  clay  of  the  same  color  and  mottling,  this 
material  continuing  throughout  the  3-foot  section.  In  some  places 
the  subsoil  has  a  uniform  yellowish-brown  color.  In  a  very  few 
areas,  too  small  to  be  mapped  separately,  a  shallow  layer  of  sand 
has  been  deposited  over  tlie  surface.  In  many  places  the  subsoil, 
as  in  the  other  types  of  this  series,  contains  considerable  sand,  giving 
it  in  some  cases  a  sandy  clay  texture.  In  this  condition  the  type 
resembles  the  soils  of  the  Cass  series,  which  difter  from  the  Wabash 
only  in  having  a  subsoil  lighter  in  texture  than  the  surface  soil. 

The  Wabash  silty  clay  loam  occurs  in  areas  of  varying  sizes,  many 
of  them  large,  in  the  first  bottoms  of  tlie  Iowa  and  Mississippi  liivers 
and  to  a  less  extent  in  narrow  strips  in  the  small  stream  bottoms. 
Natural  drainage  is  only  fair,  but  is  easily  improved  by  artificial 
means.  All  of  the  type  is  subject  to  overflow  unless  protected  by 
levees. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  of  the  bottom-land  types.  It 
occupies  the  greater  part  of  the  bottoms  in  the  vicinity  of  Oakville. 
Part  of  the  type  south  of  Port  Louisa  and  north  of  the  Iowa  River  is 
forested  and  not  in  cultivation.  With  this  exception,  almost  all 
the  type  in  the  river  bottoms  is  farmed.  Like  the  Wabash  silt  loam, 
it  is  preeminently  a  corn  soil.  When  well  drained  it  is  very  produc- 
tive. It  is  farmed  in  the  same  way  and  gives  about  the  same  yields 
as  the  Wabash  silt  loam.  On  account  of  its  heavier  texture,  it 
should  not  be  worked  when  wet,  as  clodding  and  bakmg  result. 
That  part  of  the  type  occurring  in  the  small  stream  bottoms  is  gen- 
erally used  as  pasture. 

Land  of  this  type  ranges  in  price  from  $75  to  $100  an  acre  for 
areas  that  are  poorly  drained  or  subject  to  overflow  to  $275  an  acre 
for  the  best  improved  and  best  located  farms. 

WABASH   CLAY. 

The  Wabash  clay  is  a  black  silty  clay,  with  a  depth  of  10  inches, 
underlain  by  a  dark-brown  silty  clay  mottled  with  bluish  gray. 
This  soon  changes  to  dark  drab  mottled  with  rusty  brown,  and  the 
same  color  accompanies  an  increasingly  heavy  texture  to  the  bottom 
of  the  3-foot  section.     The  lower  subsoil  is  very  compact. 

In  places  the  dark-brown  to  black  color  continues  with  slight 
mottling  to  the  bottom  of  the  3-foot  section.  On  the  east  margin  of 
what  was  formerly  Klum  Lake,  2  miles  northwest  of  Port  Louisa, 
but  which  is  now  traversed  by  a  drainage  ditch,  there  is  a  sloping 
bank  8  to  10  feet  high  overlain  by  about  6  inches  of  very  fine  sand. 
But  for  its  small  extent  this  would  have  been  mapped  as  a  distinct 
type. 

The  Wabash  clay  occurs  onl}"  in  the  first  bottoms  of  the  Iowa  and 
Mississippi  Rivers,  and  chiefly  along  the  latter  stream.     Many  of  the 


42  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

areas  now  occupied  by  the  type  were  formerly  lakes  or  ponds,  and  all 
the  areas  lie  at  a  lower  elevation  than  most  of  the  surrounding  types. 
The  greater  part  of  the  type  lies  near  the  upland  or  terrace  bluff,  but 
in  places  it  extends  to  the  river  and  even  occurs  on  the  adjacent 
islands.  As  the  type,  which  is  composed  of  the  finest  of  soil  particles, 
could  only  be  deposited  in  comparatively  quiet  water,  it  is  probable 
that  the  areas  now  close  to  the  river  were  some  distance  back  from 
it  when  formed.  Where  not  cleared  the  type  is  generally  forested 
and  more  or  less  cut  up  by  sloughs.  Wliere  it  occupies  a  former 
lake  or  slough  bed  there  is  only  a  growth  of  coarse  grasses. 

Unless  protected  by  levees,  this  type  is  subject  to  overflow.  It  is 
naturally  poorly  drained,  but  much  of  it  has  been,  and  probably  all 
can  be,  reclaimed  by  ditching  and  pumping  the  drainage  water  over 
the  levees. 

This  is  an  extensive  bottom-land  type,  and  about  one-half  of  it  is 
in  cultivation  at  the  present  time.  East  of  Oakville  there  is  a  large 
area,  comprising  between  2,000  and  3,000  acres,  the  greater  part  of 
which  is  in  cultivation.  North  of  the  Iowa  River  and  south  of  Port 
Louisa  is  another  large  body,  of  approximately  the  same  size,  of 
which  only  a  very  small  part  is  cultivated.  Corn  is  the  principal 
crop,  timothy,  wheat,  and  oats  being  grown  to  a  less  extent.  With 
good  drainage,  yields  are  practically  the  same  as  on  the  Wabash  silty 
clay  loam.  Where  not  cultivated  the  type  is  used  as  range  for 
cattle,  hogs,  and  horses.  As  with  the  silty  clay  loam,  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  work  the  land  when  too  wet.  The  selling  price  has 
practically  the  same  range  as  in  the  case  of  the  Wabash  silty  clay 
loam. 

CASS   SAND. 

The  Cass  sand  is  a  dark-brown  to  brown  medium  sand  10  inches 
deep;  underlain  by  a  lighter  yellowish  brown  medium  sand,  passing 
into  a  coarse  sand  containing  some  fine  gravel.  In  places  the  subsoil 
is  less  coarse  than  tj^^ical.  One  small  area  on  the  east  of  the  Great 
Sand  Mound  shows  the  effects  of  wind  action. 

This  type  occurs  in  many  rather  small  areas  in  the  Iowa  and 
Mississippi  River  bottoms.  It  generally  lies  slightly  higher  than 
the  surrounding  soils  and  is  well  drained.  Where  it  is  protected  by 
levees  the  greater  part  of  it  is  cultivated,  but  the  unprotected  areas 
are  used  chiefly  for  pasture.  Corn,  the  principal  crop,  yields  about 
15  to  38  bushels  per  acre. 

A  soil  coarser  than  the  typical  Cass  sand  is  included  with  it,  on 
account  of  the  slight  difference  in  texture  and  the  small  extent  of 
both  types.  It  consists  of  a  coarse  sand  throughout  the  3-foot  sec- 
tion, but  the  color,  which  is  dark  brown  to  browTi  in  the  upper  part, 
becomes  slightly  lighter  and  has  a  more  reddish  tinge  with  depth. 


SOIL   SURVEY   OF   LOUISA   COUNTY,    IOWA.  43 

Small  pebbles  are  present  throughout  the  3-foot  section.  This  soil  is 
confined  to  two  areas,  totaling  about  2  square  miles,  in  the  Mississippi 
bottoms  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  county.  Drainage  is 
ample,  and  owing  to  the  porosity  of  the  subsoil  the  type  tends  to  be 
droughty,  though  to  a  less  extent  than  would  an  upland  or  terrace 
soil  of  the  same  texture,  as  the  river  keeps  the  water  table  relatively 
high  under  all  the  bottoms.  This  soil  is  protected  from  overflow  by 
levees,  and  all  of  it  is  in  cultivation.  Corn  is  the  principal  crop, 
followed  by  rye  and  wheat.  Some  truck  crops  are  grown.  Corn 
ranges  in  yield  from  15  to  35  bushels  per  acre,  rye  from  5  to  20 
bushels,  and  wheat  from  10  to  20  bushels. 

CASS    SANDY    LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Cass  sandy  loam  is  a  dark-bro\\Ti  to  bro\\Ti 
sandy  loam,  with  a  depth  of  12  to  17  inches,  underlain  by  a  brown 
sandy  loam  to  sand  which  passes  into  a  light  yellowish  brown  sand  to 
coarse  sand.  In  some  situations  the  coarse  sand  is  confined  to  the 
extreme  lower  part  of  the  3-foot  section,  or  is  absent.  There  is  no 
sharp  line  of  demarcation  between  surface  soil  and  subsoil.  A  few 
areas  of  very  fine  sandy  loam,  too  small  to  map  separately,  are  included 
with  the  type,  as  well  as  two  areas  of  coarse  sandy  loam,  the  latter 
occupying  about  2  square  miles  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  the 
county.  The  soil  has  a  tendency  to  drift  somewhat  during  high 
winds. 

The  Cass  sandy  loam  occurs  in  many  areas  in  the  first  bottoms  of 
the  Iowa  and  Mississippi  Rivers.  It  is  generally  slightly  elevated 
above  the  surrounding  soils.  Drainage  is  ample,  and  during  periods 
of  drought  crops  are  somewhat  damaged.  Unless  protected  by  levee 
the  type  is  subject  to  overflow. 

Owing  to  its  small  total  extent,  this  is  a  relatively  unimportant 
soil.  Where  it  is  cultivated  corn  and  rye  are  the  main  crops.  Corn 
yields  15  to  45  bushels  per  acre,  and  rye  5  to  22  bushels.  Formerly 
the  coarser  areas  were  used  to  some  extent  for  the  production  of 
truck  crops,  particularly  watermelons  and  cantaloupes.  The  total 
acreage  in  these  crops  has  now  decreased,  but  sweet  ]>otatoes  are 
grown  on  a  larger  acreage  than  formerly. 

The  estimated  selling  price  of  this  land  is  S80  to  $180  an  acre,  de- 
pending largely  on  the  degree  of  levee  protection. 

CASS   LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Cass  loam  is  a  dark-bro^^^l  to  black  loam, 
with  a  depth  of  10  inches.  The  subsoil  is  a  dark-brown  loam  to 
sandy  loam,  tinged  with  reddish  brown,  passing  into  brown  and  then 
into  yellowish-brown  sandy  loam.     In  the  lower  part  of  the  3-foot 


44  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU    OF   SOILS,   1918. 

section  the  texture  is  a  sand  to  coarse  sand.  In  several  locations, 
as  in  the  river  bend  1^  miles  north  of  Gladwin,  there  are  patches 
where  sand  has  been  deposited  over  the  surface  by  overflow  waters. 

In  sees.  5  and  6,  T.  75  N.,  R.  2  W.,  there  is  an  area  which  varies  from 
the  type  as  it  occurs  elsewhere.  Here  the  surface  soil  is  high  in 
organic  matter,  which  for  the  most  part  is  well  decomposed,  but  the 
proportion  is  not  sufficiently  high  to  class  the  soil  as  Muck.  The 
surface  soil  is  shallow  and  underlain  with  gray,  yellowish-brown,  or 
mottled  gray  and  yellow,  coarse  sand.  The  area  is  lower  than  the  land 
to  the  northwest  or  southeast  and  is  traversed  through  its  approximate 
center  by  a  drainage  ditch.  To  the  southwest  the  subsoil  seems  to 
become  heavier,  and  the  soil  there  is  mapped  as  the  Wabash  loam. 

The  Cass  loam  is  developed  in  the  first  bottoms  of  both  the  Iowa 
and  Mississippi  Rivers.  It  is  associated  with  the  Wabash  loam  or 
with  Wabash  or  Cass  soils  of  heavier  texture.  The  drainage  is  natu- 
rally fair  to  good.  The  surface  soil  has  sufficient  coherency  to  re- 
tain moisture  quite  well,  but,  owing  to  the  porosity  of  the  subsoil, 
crops  are  likely  to  be  affected  by  periods  of  prolonged  drought.  Un- 
less protected  by  levee  the  type  is  subject  to  overflow 

The  Cass  loam  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  types  in  the  Iowa 
River  bottoms.  The  greater  part  of  it  is  in  cultivation,  the  remain- 
der being  used  for  pasture.  Corn  is  the  chief  crop,  followed  by  oats, 
wheat,  hay,  and  to  a  limited  extent  rye.  The  methods  of  handling 
the  type,  the  crop  yields,  and  land  values  are  practically  the  same 
as  in  the  case  of  the  Wabash  loam. 

CASS    SILTY   CLAY   LOAM. 

The  Cass  silty  clay  loam,  to  a  depth  of  12  inches,  is  a  dark-brown 
to  black  silty  clay  loam  or  silty  clay.  Below  this  depth  there 
occurs  a  dark-brown  silty  clay  loam,  containing  considerable  sand, 
mottled  with  bluish  gray,  and  below  this,  beginning  at  about  17 
inches,  a  yellowish-brown  sandy  loam  mottled  with  gray.  The 
lower  part  of  the  subsoil  in  many  places  is  a  sand. 

This  type  occurs  in  areas  of  varying  size  well  distributed  over  the 
bottoms  of  the  Iowa  and  Mississippi  Rivers.  The  natural  surface 
drainage  is  poor  to  fair,  but  the  underdrainage  is  in  most  cases 
ample,  owing  to  the  porous  nature  of  the  subsoil  and  substratum. 
By  ditching  and  pumping  off  the  drainage  water,  the  land  can  in 
most  cases  be  reclaimed,  though  in  a  few  places,  as  in  sec.  4,  T.  76  N., 
R.  5  W.,  c{uicksand,  occurring  at  a  depth  of  4  to  6  feet  and  kept 
saturated  by  the  rise  of  water  from  the  river,  renders  the  problem 
more  difficult.     Unless  leveed,  all  of  the  type  is  subject  to  overflow. 

The  total  extent  of  the  Cass  silty  clay  loam  is  small.  Approxi- 
mately one-half  of  it  is  in  cultivation,  and  the  remainder  in  woods 
pasture.     The  forest  growth  includes  black  oak,  soft  maple,   elm. 


sore.  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA  COUNTY,   IOWA.  45 

Cottonwood,  and  basswood.  The  land  in  cultivation  is  dovotful 
chiefly  to  the  production  of  corn,  which  yields  35  to  SO  bush(>ls  jx'r 
acre.  Other  important  crops  are  oats,  hay,  and  wheat.  Oats  yield 
35  to  80  bushels  per  acre,  hay  1  ton  to  If  tons,  and  winter  wheat 
12  to  35  bushels.  The  type  is  handled  under  the  methods  prevailing 
over  the  county,  except  that  more  than  ordinary  care  is  necessary 
in  working  the  soil,  as  it  bakes  and  clods  badly  if  stirred  when  wet. 
Land  of  this  type  ranges  in  price  from  $75  to  $250  an  acre,  dej^end- 
ing  on  drainage  and  other  imj)rovements  and  the  nearness  to  towns 
and  lines  of  transportation. 

MUCK. 

Muck  consists  of  black,  well-decomposed  organic  matter,  with  a 
small  admixture  of  mineral  matter,  chiefl}^  silt  and  a  little  clay, 
washed  from  adjoining  slopes.  At  a  depth  of  10  to  18  inches  the 
organic  layer  is  underlain  by  a  black,  heavy,  plastic  silty  clay  to 
clay,  slightly  mottled  with  dark  bluish  gray.  In  some  i)arts  of  the 
type  the  surface  material  is  underlain  by  a  coarse  sandy  loam  or 
coarse  sand. 

This  type  occurs  in  small  areas  in  the  Iowa  Iliver  valley.  These 
lie  just  below  the  escarpment  of  the  main  terrace  and  generally 
between  this  and  the  next  lower  terrace.  The  areas  are  above 
overflow  from  the  Iowa  River  at  any  ordinary  flood  stage,  though 
one  area  in  sec.  7,  T.  74  N.,  R.  3  W.,  is  said  to  have  been  overflowed 
by  water  from  the  Iowa  River  coming  down  from  the  northwest  in 
1851.  The  soil  is  generally  wet  and  bogg)^  as  a  result  of  seepage 
from  the  higher  lying  terrace. 

This  type  is  of  small  extent  and  comparatively  unimportant. 
None  of  it  is  in  cultivation  or  even  artificially  drained.  It  is  prized 
as  pasture,  as  it  is  said  to  afford  good  grazing  when  the  grass  in  other 
pastures  is  "burned  up." 

RIVERWASH. 

Riverwash,  as  mapped  in  this  county,  consists  of  recent  alluvial 
deposits  of  varying  texture,  lying  immediately  along  oi  in  the  !Missis- 
sippi,  Iowa,  ^nd  Cedar  Rivers,  and  shifting  and  changing  in  character 
at  each  overflow.  Some  of  the  type  is  inundated  much  of  the  time 
and  its  texture  is  ever  changing  with  the  river  currents.  Other 
parts  are  only  overflowed  when  the  river  is  at  flood  stage,  at  which 
time  a  layer  of  sand  is  usually  deposited.  The  greater  part  of  the 
material  is  sandy. 

This  type  occurs  on  all  the  islands  in  the  Iowa  and  Cedar  Rivers 
and  on  most  of  the  islands  in  the  Mississii)pi  River.  In  addition, 
it  is  mapped  in  places  adjacent  to  the  river  banks.  At  the  present 
time  it  has  practically  no  agricultural  value. 


46  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918. 

DRAINAGE. 

The  principal  drainage  problem  of  Louisa  County  lies  in  protecting 
the  river  bottoms  from  overflow  and  at  the  same  time  taking  care  of 
the  drainage  from  the  uplands  as  well  as  the  heaviest  precipitation 
on  the  bottom  lands. 

The  first  bottom  along  Cedar  River  is  narrow  and  of  comparatively 
little  importance.  No  attempt  has  been  made  either  in  this  county 
or,  as  far  as  known,  in  the  one  to  the  north  to  construct  levees  along 
this  stream. 

The  first  bottom  of  the  Mississippi  River  is  protected  from  over- 
flow by  a  levee  under  Government  control,  which  roughly  parallels, 
at  a  short  distance,  the  bank  of  the  river.  This  levee  occurs  in  this 
county  in  two  parts.  The  northern  one  comes  into  the  county  from 
the  north  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  river  bank  and,  except  in  a 
few  high  places  where  a  levee  is  unnecessary,  continues  in  a  general 
southerly  direction,  tying  into  the  upland  bluff  just  north  of  Tooles- 
boro.  The  southern  part  of  the  levee  is  an  extension  of  the  one  along 
the  south  side  of  the  Iowa  River  and  roughly  follows  the  bank  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  continuing  on  into  the  county  south. 

The  drainage  of  the  bottom  inclosed  by  the  northern  part  of  the 
levee  is  accomplished  by  canalizing  what  was  formerly  Muscatine 
vSlough  and  other  former  ponds,  sloughs,  and  lakes,  and  by  connect- 
ing these  and  other  artificial  drainage  ditches,  conducting  the  water 
to  the  pumping  station  just  north  of  Port  Louisa,  and  there  raising 
it  over  the  levee  and  into  the  river.  The  drainage  of  the  land  south 
of  the  pumping  station  is  less  satisfactor\^  than  that  of  the  land  to  the 
north,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  natural  fall  of  the  land  is  in  the  op- 
posite direction  from  that  in  which  the  water  must  drain  to  the  pump- 
ing station.  At  the  point  where  the  levee  blocks  the  Muscatine  Slough 
from  flowing  into  the  river,  pipes  have  been  constructed  which  allow 
water  to  flow  from  the  slough  to  the  river  when  the  water  is  lower  in 
the  latter  and  prevent  any  flow  from  the  river  to  the  slough  when 
conditions  are  reversed.  The  construction  of  a  second  pumping 
station  in  the  south  end  of  this  district  is  now  under  consideration. 

Drainage  of  the  land  inclosed  by  the  southern  part  of  the  levee  is 
accomplished  in  a  similar  manner.  Iowa  Slough  is  the  main  drain- 
ageway.  A  pumping  station  located  on  the  levee  1  mile  south  of  the 
south  county  boundary  handles  the  water  from  this  area. 

The  drainage  of  the  Iowa  River  bottoms  is  for  the  most  part  in 
charge  of  the  county  board  of  supervisors.  It  is  organized  by  dis- 
tricts, each  comprising  a  separate  area  protected  by  a  levee.  The 
methods  of  drainage  are  tlie  same  as  those  used  in  the  Mississippi 
River  bottoms,  except  that  the  drainage  channels  are  much  smaUer 
and  that  in  some  districts,  instead  of  pumping  stations,   ''pipes" 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF  LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA.  47 

alone  are  relied  on  to  carry  off  the  water,  which  is  allowed  to  accumu- 
late in  low  places,  never  cultivated,  until  sucli  time  as  the  pipes  re- 
m.ove  it. 

During  the  last  few  years  the  levees  have  sometimes  broken  while 
the  river  was  at  flood  stage,  ruining  a  large  part  of  the  crops.  Such 
breaks  have  probably  boon  due  to  faulty  construction  of  the  levee  in 
the  first  place,  or  to  inadequate  measures  for  its  maintainance. 
Some  farmers  state  tiiat  the  substratum  underlying  the  Iowa  River 
bottom  soils  is  different  and  has  more  quicksand  than  is  the  case  in 
the  Mississippi  bottoms,  and  that  therefore  leveeing  should  not 
be  attempted  in  the  Iowa  bottoms.  Owing  to  their  small  area, 
the  cost,  and  the  damage  done  to  farming  land  by  being  cut  with 
channels  and  covered  with  sand  in  the  vicinity  of  a  crevasse,  when 
one  occurs  in  the  levee,  there  seems  to  be  some  doubt  whether  it  is 
more  profitable  to  construct  levees  or  to  assume  the  risk  of  losing  the 
crop  b}^  untimely  floods. 

SUMMARY. 

Louisa  County  lies  at  the  eastern  edge  of  the  State  of  Iowa,  in  the 
third  tier  of  counties  from  the  southern  boundary.  It  has  an  area  of 
396  square  miles,  or  253,440  acres. 

The  county  consists  of  two  areas  of  upland  and  two  areas  of  low- 
land. The  upland  areas  are  separated  by  the  Iowa  River  Valley. 
One  of  the  bottom  areas  follows  the  Iowa  River  Valley  while  the  other 
lies  on  the  western  side  of  the  Mississippi  River  Valley.  The  alluvial 
areas  are  made  up  of  first  bottoms,  naturally  subject  to  overflow,  and 
second  bottoms  or  terraces,  not  subject  to  overflow.  The  average 
elevation  of  the  terraces  above  the  first  bottom  is  about  30  feet, 
while  that  of  the  upland  above  the  terraces  is  about  100  feet.  The 
fii'st  bottoms  are  generally  level,  and  the  terraces  level  to  undulating, 
while  the  upland  varies  from  level  to  sharply  rolling  or  broken. 

The  highest  point  in  the  county,  m  the  southeast  part  of  Morning 
Sun  Township,  is  nearly  900  feet  above  sea  level.  The  western  up- 
land slopes  to  the  northeast,  while  the  eastern  upland,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  few  square  miles  in  the  northeast  corner,  slopes  to  the 
west.  A  small  proportion  of  the  eastern  upland  di'ams  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi River.  Nearly  all  the  remainder  of  the  county  drams  to  the 
Iowa  River. 

The  first  white  settlement  was  made  in  this  county  m  1834.  The 
county  was  formed  in  1836.  In  1910  the  population  was  12,855,  or 
32.5  persons  per  square  mile.^°  All  the  population  is  classified  as 
rural,  and  settlement  is  well  distributed.  The  inhabitants  are  prac- 
tically all  white,  and  mostly  native  born. 

Transportation  facilities  are  good,  five  lines  of  railroad  passuig 
through  the  comity.     The  principal  markets  within  the  comity  are 

10  See  footnote,  p.  9. 


48  FIELD   OPERATIONS    OF   THE   BUREAU    OF   SOILS,   1918. 

WapelJo,  the  county  seat,  and  Columbus  Junction,  Morning  Sun, 
Letts,  Oakville,  and  Grandview.  Produce  is  sliij^ped  from  these 
points  to  Chicago,  St.  Louis,  and  Boston. 

The  climate  is  temperate  and  healthful.  The  mean  annual  precip- 
itation is  34.07  inches.  The  average  annual  snowfall  amounts  to 
26.8  inches.  The  average  growing  season  lasts  from  April  24  to 
October  16,  or  175  days,  and  is  ample  for  maturing  all  the  crops  com- 
monly grown. 

In  the  early  days  wheat,  corn,  oats,  and  flax  were  the  principal 
crops  grown,  and  little  live  stock  was  kept.  At  the  present  time 
live-stock  farming  predominates.  The  principal  crops  are  corn,  oats, 
hay,  winter  wheat,  rye,  potatoes,  sweet  corn,  and  barley.  Cattle, 
hogs,  horses,  and  sheep  are  raised  in  large  numbers. 

The  sandy  soils  of  the  county  are  recognized  as  best  adapted  for 
rye,  melons,  sweet  potatoes,  and  truck  crops;  the  light-colored  bluff 
soils  for  wheat ;  and  the  dark-colored  soils  for  corn  and  oats. 

The  farms  are  well  equipped  with  up-to-date  machinery.  Most  of 
the  farmers  practice  a  rotation,  the  most  common  one  consistmg  of 
corn,  corn,  oats  and  clover  (or  wheat  and  clover),  and  clover.  Prac- 
tically no  fertilizer  except  barnyard  manure  is  used. 

The  size  of  farms  ranges  from  40  to  1,600  acres,  averaging  153.6 
acres  in  1910.  Sixty-four  per  cent  of  the  farms  are  operated  by 
owners,  35.2  per  cent  by  tenants,  and  0.4  per  cent  by  managers. 
Almost  all  the  farms  operated  by  tenants  are  rented  on  the  share 
system. 

Approximately  60  per  cent  of  the  county  is  upland,  20  per  cent 
terrace,  and  20  per  cent  first  bottom.  The  loessial  upland  soils  are 
classed  in  six  series,  the  Grundy,  Muscatine,  Clinton,  Tama,  Knox, 
and  Putnam.  Only  one  glacial  soil,  the  Lindley  silt  loam,  occurs  in 
this  county. 

The  terrace  soils  are  derived  from  old  alluvial  material  and  may 
have  been  capped  with  a  thin  layer  of  loess.  Ten  terrace  types  are 
mapped,  correlated  in  the  Bremer,  Buckner,  Waukesha,  and  Calhoun 
series. 

The  first-bottom  soils  are  derived  from  recently  deposited  allu- 
vium. Nine  types,  classed  m  the  Wabash  and  Cass  series,  and  the 
undifferentiated  types  of  Muck  and  Riverwash,  are  mapped. 

The  Grundy  and  Muscatine  are  quite  similar  prairie  soils,  having 
dark-colored  surface  soils  and  mottled  subsoils.  They  are  preemi- 
nently suited  to  corn,  but  are  well  adapted  to  oats  and  hay,  and  give 
good  yields  of  other  general  farm  crops.  The  Grundy  occurs  on  the 
western  upland,  the  Muscatine  on  the  eastern. 

The  Clmton  silt  loam  is  a  fairly  extensive  type  occurring  on  both 
uplands,  generally  near  the  bluffs  and  the  major  drainage  ways 
where  the  topography  is  rather  rough.     In  its  natural  state  the  type 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  LOUISA   COUNTY,   IOWA.  49 

is  forested.  The  surface  soil  is  characteristically  light  colored  and 
the  subsoil  yellowish  brown.  The  type  is  particularly  adapted  to  the 
production  of  wheat. 

The  Tama  silt  loam  is  another  fairly  extensive  upland  type,  occur- 
ring for  the  most  part  on  prairie  areas.  The  surface  soil  is  dark 
colored  and  the  subsoil  yellowish  brown.  The  Tama  is  intermediate 
between  the  Grundy  or  Muscatine  and  the  Clinton.  While  essen- 
tially a  corn  soil,  it  also  produces  good  yields  of  the  other  farm  crops. 

The  Knox  fine  sand  has  a  brown  surface  soil  and  subsoil.  It  is  of 
small  extent,  and  much  of  it  is  uncultivated,  though  some  corn  and 
truck  crops  are  grown. 

The  Putnam  silt  loam  is  of  little  importance.  It  differs  from  the 
Grundy  and  Muscatine  soils  principally  in  having  a  gray  subsurface 
layer. 

The  Lindley  silt  loam  occurs  on  the  steep  slopes  where  the  loessial 
material  has  largely  been  washed  off.  It  has  a  light-colored  surface 
soil  and  a  yellowish-brown,  sometimes  mottled,  subsoil.  Considerable 
gravel  occurs  throughout  the  3-foot  section. 

The  Bremer  series  is  characterized  by  dark-colored  surface  soils 
underlain  by  heavier  textured  subsoils.  The  members  of  this  series 
are  preeminently  adapted  to  the  production  of  corn. 

The  Buckner  soils  are  brown,  underlain  by  lighter  textured  sub- 
soils. The  lighter  textured  members  of  the  series  are  used  to  some 
extent  for  the  growing  of  rye  and  truck  crops. 

The  Waukesha  silt  loam  has  a  brown  surface  soil  and  a  yellowish- 
bro^^^l  subsoil.  It  is  well  suited  to  the  production  of  the  farm  crops 
commonly  grown,  particularly  corn. 

The  Calhoun  silt  loam  has  a  light-colored  surface  soil  underlain  by 
a  very  heavy,  mottled  subsoil.  The  type  is  naturally  forested  and 
either  is  or  has  been  poorly  drained.     It  is  of  small  extent. 

The  members  of  the  Wabash  series  have  dark-colored  surface  soils 
and  heavier  subsoils.  They  are  most  extensive  in  the  Mississippi 
River  bottoms  in  the  vicinity  of  Oakville.  They  are  preeminently 
corn  soils,  though  they  also  give  good  yields  of  the  other  common 
crops.  Most  of  the  small  stream  bottoms  are  occupied  by  the 
Wabash  loam,  and  are  used  as  pasture. 

The  Cass  soils  are  dark  colored,  but  differ  from  the  Wabash  in 
having  subsoils  of  lighter  texture  than  the  surface  soils.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  Cass  series  produce  good  yields  of  the  common  crops, 
particularly  corn. 

Muck  is  an  inextensive  type.  It  is  rarely  overflowed,  but  it  is 
marshy  and  undrained  and  is  not  cultivated.  It  has  a  surface 
layer  of  organic  matter,  overlying  heavy,  plastic  clay  or  in  places 
coarse  sand. 


50  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU   OF   SOILS,   1918, 

Riverwash,  while  quite  extensive,  is  of  no  present  agricultural 
value.  It  consists  of  material  of  various  textures  and  is  subject  to 
change  by  river  overflows  from  year  to  year. 

In  general,  the  soils  of  the  county  can  be  improved  by  the  applica- 
tion of  organic  matter,  deeper  plowing,  the  more  liberal  use  of  lime, 
and  the  more  extensive  growing  of  alfalfa. 

The  greater  part  of  the  river  first  bottoms  has  been  leveed  and 
drained  by  systems  of  ditches  flowing  into  the  rivers  through  pipes 
equipped  with  flood  gates  or,  in  most  cases,  emptied  by  means  of 
pumps  raising  the  water  over  the  levees. 

o 


BDIL  MAP 


[Public  Resolution — No.  9.] 

JOINT  RESOLUTION  Amending  public  resolution  numbered  eight,  Fifty-sixth  Congress,  second  ses- 
sion, approved  February  twenty-third,  nineteen  hundred  and  one,  "providing  for  the  printing  annually 
of  the  report  on  field  operations  of  the  Division  of  Soils,  Department  of  Agriculture." 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of  America 
in  Congress  assembled,  That  public  resolution  numbered  eight,  Fifty-sixth  Congress, 
second  session,  approved  February  twenty-third,  nineteen  hundred  and  one,  be 
amended  by  striking  out  all  after  the  resolving  clause  and  inserting  in  lieu  thereof 
the  following: 

That  there  shall  be  printed  ten  thousand  five  hundred  copies  of  the  report  on  field 
operations  of  the  Division  of  Soils,  Department  of  Agriculture,  of  which  one  thousand 
five  hundred  copies  shall  be  for  the  use  of  the  Senate,  three  thousand  copies  for  the 
use  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  six  thousand  copies  for  the  use  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture :  Provided,  That  in  addition  to  the  number  of  copies  above  pro- 
vided for  there  shall  be  printed,  as  soon  as  the  manuscript  can  be  prepared,  with  the 
necessary  maps  and  illustrations  to  accompany  it,  a  report  on  each  area  sm-veyed, 
in  the  form  of  advance  sheets,  bound  in  paper  covers,  of  which  five  hundred  copies 
shall  be  for  the  use  of  each  Senator  from  the  State,  two  thousand  copies  for  the  use  of 
each  Representative  for  the  congressional  district  or  districts  in  which  the  survey  is 
made,  and  one  thousand  copies  for  the  use  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

Approved,  March  14,  1904. 

[On  July  1, 1901,  the  Division  of  Soils  was  reorganized  as  the  Bureau  of  SoUs.] 


i^^CEi.£ffi  0  0071967 


